Written in the Stars
by Siriusly9
Summary: In Albus's fourth year, Atria comes to live with him after his dad found her at a raid. He doesn't like anything about her. Join Attie, Rose, Scorpius, and Albus as they nevigate their way through their remaining years at Hogwarts, love and betrayal, and the return of Death Eaters.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: So… That Happened**

In Brussels, Belgium a pub was tucked away between a post office and an inn. Staying at that inn was a woman with dark, curly hair and a fair face and her daughter. The daughter had similar hair, unless she was feeling particularly emotional, yet their nature and demeanors were quite different.

One was harsh and cold, with a sharp tongue. The other confident, albeit quick-tempered, and amiable.

It was a brisk summer night and the mother was meeting a group of old friends. They were planning a surprise for the Ministry of Magic and the daughter quickly left the room as smelly, horrid people began to pour into the room.

She looked at the tattoo on one man's forearm that matched hers, when she was not hiding it. She smiled to herself. Most mothers would never let their daughters get a tattoo much less force it upon them. It hadn't hurt as much as she was expecting what with it being dark magic.

Thirty minutes later the daughter found herself standing outside the door of the room.

"My mother broke out of Azkaban at the height of the war." The mother hissed.

"Shit… this ain't 30 years ago when we 'ad the ministry run'n scared, is it? Saint Potter's put everyone 'way and those he ain't, are too scared to do anythin' bout it." A man with a heavy cockney accent, and an even heavier stench, snarled back.

"Which is exactly why we must do this." A man said in a proper voice. "Our friends, our family, all locked away in Azkaban. It is time to put mudbloods in their place and take back what belongs to us." There were some agitated grunts of agreement and some murmurs.

And then an explosion.

"_Expelliarmus!_" "_Avada Kadavra!"_

"_Stupefy!" "Sectumsempra!"_

It was clear who the Aurors were and who the death eaters were just from the spells they cast. The daughter ran down stairs, wand in hand as other wizards were trying to escape as well. Some more people, clearly death eaters, were battling a couple of witches and wizards in the pub. There was a dead woman lying on the floor and no blood.

The girl ran across the street where people were literally fleeing for their lives because the death eaters began targeting anyone who got in their way. As more death eaters were captures by Aurors, some stated to Aparate. In a few minutes there were no more spells being cast and all death eaters were subdued or unconscious.

She saw her mother being taken and felt guilty when relief seeped into her emotions.

"Hey, you there!"

She jumped about two feet in the air when a voice shouted to her.

"Ron! Don't yell at her! She's obviously terrified." Another man berated the red haired Auror. They walked a bit closer to her, so they could speak without yelling.

"Are you alright?" The man with an Irish accent asked.

"Yes…who are you?" The girl asked.

"My name is Seamus Finnegan and this is Ronald Weasley." He motioned to the red haired man.

"What's going to happen to me?" Her lip quivered as she did not realize they didn't know her mother was a death eater.

"Are you parents here?" Mr. Weasley asked. Her lips parted in surprise.

"I don't have parents." She replied, looking at the ground.

_Technically not a lie_, she thought to herself.

The two men looked at each other and then a woman called to them.

"We'll be right there." Mr. Finnegan shouted back to her. "What's your name?" He asked the girl.

"Atria," She responded slowly, "Atria Williams."

"Do you remember anything that happened? Any details that might help us?" Mr. Weasley asked with a slightly interrogative tone.

It occurred to her than they thought she was a muggle.

"You won't have to obliviate me, if that's what you mean. I'm not a muggle." She responded indignantly. Mr. Finnegan laughed while Mr. Weasley turned slightly pink in the ears. Atria pressed her lips together as if she thought better of insulting an Auror.

"How old are you?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Fourteen." Atria replied, a bit coldly. She was frustrated by the fact that they were treating her like a child.

"Where do you go to school?" Mr. Finnegan asked curiously. His tone was not as babying as Mr. Weasley's had been.

"Nowhere." She whispered. _Are they going to ship me off to school?_ Atria wondered.

"Would you come with us Ms. Williams?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Are you going to make me go to school?" Atria chewed on her lip.

"Not right now. You know, since its summer." Mr. Weasley chuckled at his little joke and Mr. Finnegan and Atria glanced at him.

The woman who had been calling their name previously came over and pulled the two men aside. _Perfect chance to escape_, Atria thought. They returned a moment later though and the woman began speaking to her.

"Ms. Williams we would like you to return to the Ministry of Magic with us so that you can relay details of what happened before our Aurors infiltrated the inn." The woman said is a soft, yet commanding voice. She seemed more put together than either of the men.

"Uh… sure. Not like I have anything better to do." Atria muttered.

A little while later, although it felt like forever to Atria, she took Mr. Finnegan's hand and he told her to brace herself. She had Aparated before so the puking sensation was not entirely new.

"So what are we going to do with her?" Harry asked Ron.

"Don't know mate." Ron shrugged. "Figured the first step was to get her back here and find out what happened before we attacked." They both glanced at the door where Atria Williams was being questioned.

"It seemed like they knew we were watching. The other death eaters were waiting for us to attack the ones in the inn, and then they snuck up on us." Harry said, deep in thought.

There were very few death eaters left and it wasn't a huge deal that they were gathering but it still didn't sit right with Harry.

"Yeah, and they had the place charmed so that we couldn't pick anything up with the Extendable ears. It happened so quick we didn't even see who the other death eaters that bolted were." Ron said as Seamus came out of the room where Atria was.

"Guess what?" He said excitedly.

"She saw all of their faces and named every death eater, so now we can go get them and lock 'em in Azkaban?" Ron said hopefully.

"Eh… no." Seamus said in a rather comical tone. "She's a metamorphagus."

"What?" Ron and Harry gaped at the same time.

"Yea, so I was asking her about the death eaters and—"

"Are you lot calling them 'death eaters' again?" A commanding voice said.

"'Mione, just because they haven't formally announced themselves—"

"Ronald, you know very well we have no proof they are connected to Voldemort, or any of his followers." Hermione Weasley scolded. Harry rolled his eyes, not believing they weren't death eaters. "All we know is that they are magical radical extremists connected to several violent crimes across Europe."

"Of course, Hermione, but it takes so much time to say 'magical radical extremists'." Harry said with a straight face.

"Children, please." Seamus put his hands out in a calming motion. "As I was saying – I was taking her through the evenings events and her hair turned bright red—"

"What?" Hermione gasped, "Whose hair?"

Seamus sighed impatiently. "If I could just get through the bleeding story"

He paused to wait for anymore interruptions.

"So I was taking Atria, the girl we picked up from the scene, through today's events and her hair turns bright red, I looked shocked I'm sure, and she says 'yea that happens sometimes'." He finished in a rush.

"Where are her parents?" Hermione asks, rubbing her hands together worriedly.

"She says she doesn't have any. Must've been given up or orphaned." Harry said.

"Well, not everyone is cut out for parenthood." Hermione sighed.

"'Ey, Dad!" I loud voice of a teenage boy called from down the hall.

"Speaking of failed attempts at parenthood." Ron muttered comically. Harry glared, Seamus grinned, and Hermione elbowed her husband.

Harry's oldest son James came running down the long corridor.

"Mum's waiting for us. She sent me to find you. Said to tell you that we're leaving without you and if you weren't home in five minutes there would be anti-apparition spells up on the house." James grinned at his father. With his auburn hair and green eyes he was a mix of both parents.

"I'm gonna get Atria out of the interrogation box." Seamus says, already walking backward before turning around to open the big black door. A second later a redhead followed him out in place of a girl with black hair. Harry and Ron looked surprised, as if they expected Seamus to be twisting their wands about the metamorphosing.

Before anyone could say anything James was in front of Atria with his hand outstretched.

"Hey, I'm James." He smirked, running his hands through his hair.

She looked at him for a second.

Then her eyes went completely black, she opened her mouth and had fangs and then a snakes tongue slither out. It happened in less than a second and James snapped his hand back and proceeded to trip over his own feet, falling on his butt.

The next second her regular face was back and her hair was blue and she was laughing as though she hadn't seen numerous people murdered.

"What the blood hell." James said in a rush of a breath. He was still on the ground as though he didn't have the strength to get up at the moment. He looked up at her and she smirked and flipped her long black hair, imitating him.

"Sorry, it was just too fun to resist." She grinned and offered him a hand. Ron and Seamus were cracking up in the back and Hermione looked disappointed.

James stared at her hand for a moment, just to make sure it wouldn't hurt him, and then took her hand. She pulled him up with a surprising amount of force.

"Hi, I'm Atria."

"James."

"You said that already." She smirked once more.

"What the bloody hell is taking so long?" James shrunk back and Harry winced and looked fond all at the same time.

"Sorry, Ginny, we just had some last minute details to discuss." Harry said formally as if they had been doing something serious.

Hermione snorted.

"So who's taking the girl?" Seamus asked suddenly. Everyone looked at Atria.

"Me? What, I don't need to be taken anywhere." She said defensively.

"Dad, we'll take her." James jumped in. Ginny gave him a warning look and then Harry a questioning look.

"She doesn't have any parents, no school, and was at the attack today." Harry explained seeing his wife's look.

"Well then we'll take her. Send her to Hogwarts with the rest of the kids in a month." Ginny said with no hesitation.

"Wait a pixie," Atria interjected, "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself—"

"Absolutely not." Ginny said with a certain finality. James was inching closer to Atria.

"You really should be going to school. To find a job these days you need at least 4 N.E.W.T.'s." Hermione said and Ron rolled his eyes.

"And fourteen is not a proper age to live alone." Seamus agreed. Atria looked around for support but found none.

"Don't worry you'll love the Manor."

_I cannot go home with the Potter's_, Atria though, panicked. James winked at her.

"Wait until you meet the rest of the family."


	2. The Never Ending Wotter Clan

Please REVIEW! -Alex

_Wow, _was the first thing that came to mind as the Potter's living room came into view. I stepped out of the fireplace and into what can only be described as perfection. The room was extremely large with multiple couches, chairs and coffee tables. Everything had an old-Victorian feel especially the large ceiling that hung over the expensively furnished room. It was arched with candles floating near the top but not dripping with wax. There was a chess table on the left wall with a leftover plate sitting on the table.

"Great, isn't it?" James grinned. He had arrived a moment before me and his parents were probably following close behind me.

"It's the nicest place I've ever been in." I said, looking around. There was a drink on the coffee table and a pair of slippers had been casually left at the foot of the couch. It was magnificent yet casual.

"Yea, there's a smaller one at the front of the house where we entertain guests." Mrs. Potter said, stepping out of the fireplace with Mr. Potter.

"Don't want to seem like we're too rich." He winked at me.

"Mum, Dad, is that you?" A girl's voice called out. A moment later a redhead popped out from behind the door frame. She grinned at her family and then noticed me. "Who's that?"

"Lily, this is Atria Williams. Atria, this is our daughter Lily." Mr. Potter said as he hugged his little girl. "She's going to be staying with us for a while." He explained to her.

"Why?"

"Because she'll be going off to Hogwarts with you this year." Mrs. Potter said, unsure about how much I wanted to reveal about my past. Not that they really knew anything about my past.

I was the daughter of a death eater and I was standing in Harry Potter's living room. He was introducing me to his children and not saying 'don't be like her.' So weird.

"Hi." I said raising my hand awkwardly. She squealed and hugged me. I'm sure the look on my face was one of complete and utter shock. Although I didn't feel sick.

"I am so glad you're here. It was going to be so boring just hanging with the family all summer! So where are you from? Why haven't you been at Hogwarts?"

"Lily, give her a chance to breath." Mrs. Potter said before Lily could ask any more questions. I smiled when Lily's face turned pink in exasperation.

"Mum—"

"Lily."

"It's okay." I smiled, before things heated up any more. "I was born in England but I've all over really. Your dad picked me up in Belgium but before that I was in Germany." I explained.

"Seriously, how old are you?" She asked, her eyes bright with excitement.

"I'm fourteen." I replied.

"No way. That's so bloody cool."

"Language." Mr. Potter warned. James rolled his eyes.

"Can I show her to the guest bedroom?" He asked. After some discussion it was decided that I would be staying on a second floor guest room, because apparently they had multiple guest rooms.

We left the living room and walked down a very long corridor that had several doors leading into what were probably more very large rooms. Mr. and Mrs. Potter kept going, while Lily, James, and I went into another room that turned out to be a stair case.

"So how old are you?" I asked James and Lily.

"I'm fifteen but I'll be sixteen in a couple of months." James wiggled his eyebrows. He was rather attractive with his auburn hair, chiseled facial features, and full lips. He was also tall, I'd guess just almost six feet and he probably wasn't done growing.

"I'm twelve." Lily stated and kept talking but I drifted into thought. She was also relatively tall, as tall as me. My meager five foot three was dwarfed by James and Lily would probably pass me by a few inches in a year or two.

"—He's at a friend house now." Lily concluded her monologue that I had missed.

"Sorry, who?" I said, embarrassed. "I kind of spaced out."

"Oh, just my brother." James interjected. "Albus Severus Potter." He said mockingly.

Severus? Oh Severus Snape. The tales my mother had told me about the backstabbing death eater who turned out to not actually be a death eater. He was the head of Slytherin house that had killed Albus Dumbledore.

"You'll meet him at the family dinner on Saturday." Lily assured me.

"I'm not family." I stated. Nor did I want to be surrounded by Potter's and Weasley's with no escape. I could feel my wand tucked in my boot and my hand inching to reach for it.

"It's more like family and friends." James shrugged. "You'll get to meet all the cousins and uncles and other random people. You already met Rose and Hugo's dad, Ron." He told me.

"Right so he is your mum's brother?" I asked, connecting the dots. And by dots I mean the similarly red hair.

"Yep and my dad's best friend. And Aunt Hermione is also Dad's best friends they were all really close in school and then my aunt and uncle fell in love and the rest is history." James said.

We had made our way up the stairs, down two more corridors and had finally stopped in front of a wooden door. Lily opened it for me and we went in. It was a good size room with light yellow paint and flowery bed set.

"There's a bathroom down the hall that you'll share with Albus if he ever decides to come home." Lily muttered, rolling her eyes slightly. "His room is down the hall."

"Where is your bedroom?" I asked.

"My bedroom connects with James's around the corner. We share a bathroom." Lily replied with a smile.

"Share? More like the hostile takeover of a pre-teen girl." James snorted. I laughed at Lily's look of complete indifference at her brother's "suffering".

My mother's face flashed in my memories. I knew what she would say if she were here.

_Kill them. Kill them both. _

The smile immediately dropped from my face.

"My cloths," I coughed trying to get the hoarse sound out of my voice, "I didn't have time to grab my trunk before we left. I totally forgot about it." I leaded against the headboard of the bed.

"That's alright. For now you can borrow some of my cloths and tomorrow we'll do a girls day and go shopping." Lily squealed and clapped her hands together. She fled the room a second later to go get me some extra cloths to wear until tomorrow.

James grinned at me.

"So you're going to be a fourth year." He said. "I'm a fifth year. Only a year apart." He smirked and ruffled his hair.

"Look, I appreciate what your parents are doing for me, but I really can't hang around." I knew my hair had probably turned blue by now. His eyes glanced up and his eyes widened indicating that, yes, my hair probably had turned.

"Don't take off yet." He said surprisingly seriously. "Stay until the family dinner. Wait two days before you take off on some mad dash."

I bit my lip. "Fine." I said after a moment.

"Here you go." Lily returned with some cloths.

I looked in the mirror. We were about to go to the Wotter family dinner. I asked Lily what a 'Wotter' was when she mentioned it on the shopping trip.

"A Wotter is a member or the Potter/Weasley family," She had replied while grinning. Apparently they got the name a few years ago when more and more of the Wotters went to Hogwarts and it became too much to say "The Potter/Weasley Family."

Lily knocked on the bedroom door I had left cracked. We had gotten me enough cloths to last about a week. Mostly blacks, reds, blues, and purples. Nothing too bright or outlandish, unlike Lily, who had gotten a gold and green sundress which matched her reddish auburn hair perfectly.

"That's gorgeous." Lily commented.

I was wearing blue shorts with a high black tank top and black Converse. I looked at myself in the mirror and then changed my hair to a vibrant blue.

Lily grinned. She had found out about my metamorphagus abilities when we were trying on outfits and changed my hair to match the color of the cloths. She had thought it was great to be able to wear any cloths you wanted without having to worry about it clashing with your hair.

Lily sighed, "I'm so jealous." And the she clapped her hands together. "You'll get to meet Teddy today."

Teddy was also a metamorphagus and apparently dating one of Lily and James's older cousins, Victoire. Said cousin was also part veela and worked as an assistant to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Or was that Molly Weasley, daughter of Percy and Audrey?

And more importantly, how many Wotters was I going to meet today?

Lily and I made our way downstairs to the living room where the grand fireplace was. Yesterday I got lost in the endless corridors and ended up in the gaming room instead of the kitchen.

We were flooing to the Burrow, that's what everyone called it, for dinner. It was now two o'clock and we were supposed to have arrived at quarter to two. We weren't going to eat until five but Grandma Weasley knew her family well and ordered everyone to be there three hours early, knowing that people wouldn't show up on time.

So we each took our turn in the fireplace saying, "The Burrow."

I followed Lily and James. There was no way to get out of this with Ginny and Harry watching. They had insisted that I call them by their first names.

I appeared in the very crowded living room of the Burrow.

There was a lot of shouting and loud noises and even though Lily and James had just arrived they were already arguing with some family members. James grabbed me and pulled me into the conversation.

"Mates, this is Atria. Atria meet Freddie, Louis, and Dominique." James announced.

Freddie slid next to me, dropping his arm around my shoulder.

"Hullo there." He said in a dramatic tone.

I giggled and rolled my eyes.

"Hi." I said flatly.

"So what year are you in?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Um…" I looked questioningly at Lily, "Fourth?" She nodded.

"I'm in fifth year with Jamie." He punched James's shoulder playfully.

"I'm in sixth year." Dominique said. "And call me Dom." She reached her slender hand out to take mine. She had long strawberry blond hair and skin like porcelain.

"Hullo," I replied.

"She's Vicky's cousin, the one who's dating Teddy." Lily explained.

"Oh, cool. Is he here?" I looked around for someone with electric blue hair.

"He's outside. Why?" Louis asked.

"Well—"

"She's a metamorphagus too!" Lily all but screamed. A few people stopped and looked at us and then continued what they were doing.

Louis, Freddie, and Dom looked at me in shock.

And that was the first of many more meetings with Wotter clan members. Next it is Grandma Weasley and then Audrey Weasley, wife of Percy Weasley, who was nothing like her husband. She seemed to be the life of the party with her short brown hair and bright blue eyes.

Then it was Bill and Fleur, then Freddie's dad who was looking for Freddie's mum and then I lost track of who else I met.

Sometime before dinner I met Teddy who talked with me for a while about his experiences with metamorphosing. He used it to prank, get away with pranks, and in his early years, attract birds.

"Attie dear, could you grab the potatoes on the counter?" Grandma Weasley asked, carrying a large bird to the table where everyone was seated for dinner.

Dom had started calling me Attie and now everyone followed suit.

I went into the small kitchen where there was a pot of potatoes resting on the table.

Suddenly there was a commotion in the dining room.

"Decided to finally show up, eh?" I heard James say.

"Oh make yourself useful and get the butterbeer from the kitchen." I heard Ginny say.

"Alright mum." A boy laughed.

A second later I was joined by a tall boy with black, unruly hair. His eyes were bright green and his face long and pale in contrast to his dark hair. He didn't notice me at first and when he did he stepped back, his mouth turning down.

"Who are you?" He asked in a rather rude manner.

"Atria, I came with your parents." I replied indignantly, assuming this was Lily's brother Albus. He looked my age.

"Okay," He said slowly, "Why?"

"I'm staying with you lot until school starts." His eyebrows shot up and he frowned more.

"Mum!" He hollered. I rolled my eyes. Ginny came in a second later.

"Couldn't you find the butterbeer?" She asked.

"Why is she staying with us?" Albus asked, his voice like vinegar .

Ginny glared at her son. "Because she needs a place to stay until you go back to Hogwarts." She said in a chastising tone.

"Do you even go to Hogwarts? I've never seen you before." He asked in a scathing tone.

I practically growled at him. "No this will be my first year."

That was when I decided I was going to stick around. If nothing else, just so I could put Albus Severus Potter in his place.

Ginny coaxed us out of the kitchen we took our place at the table.

Dinner was somewhat uneventful, except for the fact everyone wanted to know who I was. Where did I come from? What happened to my parents? How old was I? How did I like the turkey?

I think the least irritating Wotter was George Weasley, Freddie and Roxanne's father. He was never too serious, didn't ask me any questions, and his job was to make people laugh by making other people suffer.

Oh, the joys of running a joke shop.

It was difficult not to reach for my wand every time one of them touched my hand or arm. For as long as I could remember, my mother had told me that touching a mudblood was sickening and disgusting. Unfortunately, my mother considered anyone who wasn't a pureblood to be a mudblood.

So when Hermione Weasley laughed at some joke I made about James and touched my arm, it was a reflex to want to shy away. I restrained though.

They didn't seem evil or dirty. James and Lily talked like I did an even though Albus was a prat, he didn't seem sick. And even more, they didn't make me feel sick.

Rose was particularly, horrifyingly sweet. She had red hair like Lily and brown eyes like her mother. She was cute and bouncy and cheerful.

I didn't feel sick or disgusted when she looked at me. My mother told me you could tell if someone was impure because they made you sick, yet none of them were purebloods and I didn't feel sick.

Except for when Albus glared at me.

Then another family member would scold him and I felt better.

After all there were so many of them who could scold him.


	3. Payback's A Witch

_Two Weeks Later_

"Albus, you arse!" I screamed through the bathroom door. I heard him humming through the door, no doubt with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. "What respectable bloke takes 45 minutes in the bathroom?"

"I'm shaving!" He hollered back.

"Shaving what? You don't have any hair!" I banged on the door loudly. "Unless you're shaving your legs? Planning on wearing a skirt today?" I laughed. He didn't respond that time, he just continued to hum.

I pulled a pin out of my hair that was keeping the purple curls out of my face today. I played with a lock for a minute until it clicked and the door was unlocked.

It wasn't as even we couldn't use the bathroom at the same time. It was like the nicest locker room anyone could ever hope to see. It three sinks in a granite countertop. Two shower stalls and two toilet stalls.

When he saw me he yelped.

"How did you get in here?" He asked standing up from where he had been leaning on the counter.

The prat wasn't even doing anything!

"You idiot! Get out." I shoved him out the door wearing only his towel around his waist.

I heard him laugh through the door. I growled as I started taking off the blue silk night set that Ginny had insisted on buying me. It was a button down T-shirt and shorts, nothing fancy but the silk felt nice against my skin.

Then James knocked on the door and shouted, "We're leaving for Diagon Alley in 15 minutes."

I groaned and then cursed Albus. We were going shopping again, but this time for school supplies. I had to get robes and then when "the hat" told me what house I was in I would get the seal stitched into my robes.

It was interesting. I thought that all the Wotters would be in Gryffindor but a few were in Ravenclaw, like Roxanne and Hugo, and Lucy was in Hufflepuff, but the biggest shock was that Freddie was in Slytherin. It was a total surprise, he was cunning but he was also extremely loyal.

I started to think about what house I would be in. Over the last few days James had made it clear that he expected me to be in Gryffindor and Freddie, when he came over, tried to sell me Slytherin.

My biggest fear was that I would be in Slytherin. I want something that a month ago I wouldn't have even thought about.

I wanted to be in Gryffindor. Seeing how close the Wotter family was, I realized how much I missed growing up.

I showered quickly, threw my clothes in the hamper that they kept in the bathroom. Seeing Albus's knickers for the first time, with golden snitches, had freaked me out. I went back to my room and put on a purple shirt with blue jeans and a black headband, then made my hair pink.

Normally I would put a simple drying charm on my hair but that was when I was able to hide my whereabouts from the ministry. Now if I walked downstairs after showering with dry hair the Potters would know I used magic.

_Ridiculous that we can't use magic outside of school, _I thought.

I would have to get some materials to make a hair potion at Diagon Alley.

I trudged downstairs knowing that Albus would be grinning.

And he was, grinning like he just set his worst enemy's house on fire.

While the Potters were off saying hello to some friends I went to Gringotts. My mother and I each had a keep to my grandmother's vault, but I had only been there twice.

I told Ginny that I would meet them at Flourish and Blotts after I picked up some money. The goblin at the counter looked surprised but didn't say anything when I handed him my key. We went deep beneath the surface into vaults.

Our family vault was sight to be seen. Large and filled to the brim with galleons, gold, and other treasures. I grabbed dozens of galleons and some small treasures that were worth quite a few galleons. The goblin took me back to the surface and I went to meet up with the Potter's at Flourish and Blotts.

On the way I saw Albus talked with some brunette. She tall and pretty, I guess.

And Albus was giving off all the signs that he thought so too. He ran his hand through his hair, he did that when he was nervous or showing off, smiled and laughed at something she said, and brushed her hand with his.

This was an interesting development. I really should walk away -

But that wouldn't be fun at all.

I strutted over to the store they were standing in front of, which happened to be his uncle's shop.

"Hey Al." I smiled at him and linked my arm through his. He looked to shocked to do something. "Who's your friend." I smiled at the girl who was now scowling. Al stuttered.

"Anyway's," I cut him off, "We should go me your family now. They're waiting for us at Flourish and Blotts."

By this point the girl obviously thought we were seriously dating, seeing as how I was meeting his parent, so she walked off looking like a tomato.

"Nicole, wait!" Albus called after her. Nicole looked at him like, _Are you for real?_

It was the best moment of my life. Albus snatched his arm away from me.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?" He shouted.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you trying to get on with her?" I asked innocently. He huffed.

"You did that on purpose." He accused me.

"Duh," I grinned evilly. "Isn't is bothersome when an annoying twit does something to ruin your day on purpose. Paybacks a bitch."

He growled at me.

_Please Review! Feedback is very much appreciated - Alex_


	4. Hot Guys, Quidditch, and School

We arrived at King's Cross at 10:34 and the train left at 10:45. We were all hurrying to get to the platform. Of course I'd heard all about the magic barrier, but a part of me hopes the barrier wouldn't work.

None of this was supposed to happen. I didn't mean to stay with the Potters and I certainly hadn't meant to like them.

Also if the barrier closed then Albus would run into a wall.

Unfortunately as the other Wotters who were attending Hogwarts went through the wall it became clear the barrier was not malfunctioning and we were going to be able to get through.

"Your turn." Lily said. I ran straight at the wall and passed through it with ease. Lily followed, then Ginny.

"You better hurry up or you'll not get a compartment." Mr. Potter, it didn't feel right to call him Harry, although he had told me I could.

All the Wotters, plus me, hurried to get on the train and load our trunks. We waved to the parents and then went to look for a compartment.

Dom, Lucy, and Freddie went to the Prefect's compartment and Albus went off to Merlin knows where, Lily went to find her friends and Rose and I stood there awkwardly. James kissed me on the cheek, then left and Rose and I rolled our eyes.

"C'mon, lets find a compartment."

So that was easier said than done. Most of them were full to the brim.

I saw a compartment with only one boy in it. "Over her Rose." I called her over.

I opened the door and the blonde haired boy looked up.

"Do you mind if we sit here? Everywhere else is full." I said.

He looked confused. Rose appeared behind me. Her smile dropped when she saw the boy.

"Attie, we can find somewhere else." She tugged on my arm. What was their deals?

"Everywhere else is full. Do you mind?" I asked, not waiting for his answer.

"Sure." He muttered. Rose stood for a second then sat down next to me.

"I'm Atria and this is Rose." I said after a few awkward moments of silence.

"Right." He looked at Rose. "I'm Scorpius."

"Right." She looked at me with dread.

"Are you new?" He asked me.

"Yep, I'm staying with Rose's cousins." I said.

"I'm sorry." He said, the corner of his mouth turning up. She huffed indignantly and was no doubt about to say some nasty comment about his family.

"Oh come on, don't be childish. So you're a Malfoy and a Weasley and I'm staying with the Potters. Get over it. Both of you." I said sternly. They both looked down. The Scorpius looked up.

His eyes were a beautiful grey and he was definitely cute. And a pureblood, so my mother would approve. Yet I really didn't care.

"How did you know I was a Malfoy?" He asked.

"Blonde hair, grey eyes, rivalry with Wotters. Who else?" I shrugged. And I had met his grandfather who talked about what a disappointment his son and grandson were.

We sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes.

"So… tell me about Hogwarts." I said to no one in particular. Rose and Scorpius looked at each other for a moment.

"Well," Scorpius started off, "My favorite subject is Charms."

"Mine as well." Rose cut in. She looked shocked that they agreed on something. "Professor Divet is wonderful." She muttered.

"Yea, he is." Scorpius nodded. "And Potions is great." This time Rose made a face and shook her head.

"Definitely Arithmancy." Rose countered Scorpius and he made a face.

"What about Care of Magical Creatures? Your mum said a friend taught that." I told Rose.

"Yea, Hagrid's great." She smiled. "But I'm not taking it this year."

"Me either. It doesn't have a lot of practical uses." Scorpius said.

"So what classes are you taking? I still have to sign up for all my classes. I'll probably have to do some tests to figure out placement. That's what your mum said." I shrugged. I was an excellent witch and a master at making potions.

"I'm taking Charms, Arithmancy, Transfiguration, Potions, Divination, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Astronomy, and History of Magic." Scorpius shrugged. Damn, that sounded like a lot.

"Same except for I'm not taking Divination. I'm taking Ancient Runes." Rose smiled. Over the past few weeks I had discovered that Rose found boring things very interesting.

"DADA, Charms, Transfiguration, Astronomy, History of Magic, Herbology, and Potions are core classes that you have to take. Muggle Studies, Divination, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Care of Magical Creatures are elective classes that you can take after second year. Sixth year we can drop classes that we don't want to take N.E.W.T's in." Scorpius explained.

"In sixth year we can take apparition classes and alchemy." Rose continued. There should be a book for all this.

"So what should I take?" I asked.

Scorpius shrugged. "Depends on what you want to do."

"In fifth year we get counseling by McGonagall. She'll go through what is it you like to do and find some job that fits." Rose said. "A bunch of my cousins have been through it."

"All fifty of them." Scorpius said snidely. Rose glared at him and he winced. "Sorry, habit." He muttered looking down at his hands. Rose rolled her eyes.

"Well, I want to take Care of Magical Creatures." I said. Scorpius raised his eyebrows and Rose shrugged as if to say "your funeral". "It'll be fun. I like animals."

This continued for a half an hour until I had to go to the bathroom. Rose and Scorpius looked alarmed when I told them I would be leaving them in the compartment on their own for a few minutes.

Rose was not happy with Atria. How could she leave her alone with Malfoy. He wasn't saying anything and the whole thing was so awkward. He stared at his hands, his blonde hair falling into his eyes.

He was sort of attractive. This is, if you liked the pretty boy look. He was well dressed and his hair had been neatly combed to the side and his face beautiful, almost angelic.

"So," Rose said slowly. He glanced up. His eyes. Add that to list of his body parts that were gorgeous.

"You don't like potions?"

She started in surprised. He remembered?

"Well, I'm pretty good at the theory of it all but doing it is a bit more difficult. There's so many things to keep track of. Spir clockwise, add this, add that, mash it up a bit. I always seem to lose a step." She flushed. Should she really be telling her enemy about her weaknesses.

"Maybe you need a better partner." He said.

"What do you mean?"

"Someone who keeps track of all the steps instead of expecting you to do all the work." He flashed her a quickly grin. Add perfect teeth to that list.

She was about to respond when the compartment door opened. Only it wasn't Atria it was Al.

"Malfoy." Albus acknowledged with a head nod.

"Potter."

Rose looked between them. There had been words and pranks exchanged in the past.

"Did you need something?" Rose asked, a blush creeping into her fair cheeks. It clashed with her bright red hair.

"Just saying hello." Al sat down. Rose glared at him. He ignored her. "So… why are you sitting together?" He asked bluntly. Rose gasped.

"Albus!" She screeched.

"What? It's just a question." He muttered.

"Yea, a rude one."

Scorpius grinned at the interaction. Rose wasn't… completely horrid.

"It's okay." He said. Al smirked at Rose. "So you're a seeker." Scorpius commented.

"You're a chaser." Al responded.

Okay they haven't killed each other yet, Rose thought. This is good.

"So Quidditch." Rose said. "I wonder if Atria plays." She mused.

"Well, we only have a beater spot open." Al smirked. But Rose noticed that he did think Atria would be in Gryffindor. Rose wasn't so sure.

He could see her being in any of the houses except for Hufflepuff. She could be nice but she was also sarcastic and witty, fitting more into Ravenclaw or Slytherin, and she was extremely loyal and focused, which could be attributed to Gryffindor.

"Slytherin has to get a seeker, keeper, and a chaser." Scorpis scowled, upset that their team was taking such a dent this year.

"Wait, I thought you could try out for anything?" Rose questioned. "You know, so that if you're better than someone on the team you could take their place."

"Well, yea but -" Al started.

"But that rarely ever happens. I mean there is this thing called loyalty. A person would have to be really good to usurp someone from their position. Or the person is really awful." Scorpius finished. Al nodded vigorously.

"Yea, I mean we'd have to see the person every day if we booted them. It would be awful. Slytherins can be vengeful."

"Besides most of Gryffindor House in Wotters and we're all excellent at Quidditch." Al said, running his hand through his hair. He looked at Rose. "Even if not all of us play."

Scorpius looked surprised. "You play?" Rose shrugged.

"I'll play in the family tournaments but that's about it. I don't have enough time to play for school. Besides I'm a keeper and Charlie is excellent, Gryffindor never needed a keeper."

"Yea, your keeper is steller." Scorpius agreed grudgingly. "Made some bloody good stops at the tournament last year."

"Now all we need is a great beater." Al smiled. Rose didn't think they even realized they were talking in a civilized manner.

"Why do I get the feeling Attie would love to pelt bludgers at your head in practice." Rose said slyly. Al glowered at her. "Anyways, she might be in Ravenclaw." Albus still didn't look happy at the thought of her getting placed into the "smart-witch" house.

"You don't like her?" Scorpius asked.

Al snorted. "Why don't you try sharing a bathroom with her? Besides she's just so… so-"

"Perfect?" Rose laughed.

"Ah, no." Al glared at her.

The compartment door slid open.

"Speak of the devil." Al muttered.

Atria looked at him scathingly.

"Where have you been?" Rose asked, ignoring the glares.

"I was in the loo, then I bumped into some guy and we got chatting." Atria shrugged.

"Ooh, was he hot?" Rose asked, flushing when Al and Scorpius gave her a look.

"Yea, I think his name was Dimitri. Yea, Dimitri." She nodded. Rose gasped and Al rolled his eyes.

"Oh my Merlin, Dimitri is a sixth year Ravenclaw prefect and a beater for their Quidditch team. Talk about a reason to play Quidditch." Rose fanned herself dramatically. "What did he want?" She started to interrogate Atria.

"Well, he said he liked my hair," Atria responded. Albus gagged and Scorpius nodded in agreement.

Her hair did look gorgeous. The usually black locks were now pink with some strips of yellow and orange making her look like a sunset on a summer day.

"He asked me who I was and I explained." Atria continued. "And then he said he hoped I'm in Ravenclaw."

"Do you play Quidditch?" Scorpius asked. Atria looked confused by the sudden subject change.

"A little." She sounded embarrassed.

Al looked at her with excitement for the first time. "Beater?" He asked hopefully.

"No, seeker."

Al's eyes narrowed and Rose chuckled. "Well if you're in Gryffindor you won't being playing Quidditch." Atria looked at Scorpius and Rose in confusion.

"Al is the Gryffindor seeker and one of the best players in the school." Rose explained. Albus smirked and ran his hands through his hair. "James is on the team as well. Chaser. Freddie is a beater for Slytherin. Dom also plays for Gryffindor as a beater."

"Maybe I'll be in Ravenclaw." Atria giggled and Rose joined her and the boys rolled their eyes.

During the Sorting I sat with Rose, Albus, and James at the Gryffindor table. Professor McGonagall was going to get me after the feast and I would be privately sorted into a house.

I wasn't sure which house I wanted. I suppose it didn't really matter since I had friends in every house other than Hufflepuff and I was sure I wouldn't be sorted there.

The feast was grand and Albus ate like a starving man. How was he still so skinny? He ate like this at every meal, even at home. James started interrogating me about Quidditch and he told me that there was no seeker better than Albus. Of course, now I had to try out, just to beat Albus.

I was surprised, on the train, that Albus actually liked Scorpius. They had talked for the rest of the ride. I had thought about Dimitri and talked about him with Rose. I saw him at the Ravenclaw table and he caught me looked at him.

He smiled at me. Not smirked, but actually smiled. Rose nudged me and looked at my hair. It was now completely pink. I blushed and turned away, changing my hair to a safe electric blue.

Of course, I forgot we were in the middle of a hall full of people. Whispers started around me and my face turned redder. Then McGonagall started talked and everyone got quiet.

I zoned out during the speech, thinking about how this would all play out. No one could find out who I was, most of all Rose or James. Knowing that my mother was a death eater and my grandmother had been the most prolific killers of all time aside from the Dark Lord himself.

I probably shouldn't ever let my hair go natural, I thought. Too much of a give away. The thick black waves paired with my black eyes and pale skin cover an angular face would be look too much like my grandmother.

All the death eaters I had met said I was her spitting image. That did not make me feel particularly good at the moment, knowing that any day could be my last if someone discovered me.

Williams. What a boring, forgetful name. Not like Lestrange. Williams sounded calm and peaceful. Lestrange sounded… well, deranged.

"Attie, you should go with McGonagall." Rose whispered as we started to exit the Great Hall. I nodded and went to where the old professor was waiting for me.

"Ms. Williams, this way. We'll need to discuss a few things, of course. What classes you'll be taking, what house you'll be in." She said stiffly. We arrived in front of a statue of a large bird. Then suddenly the bird turned and stairs appeared. I love magic.

"Would you like some tea?" She asked as we entered her large office. There were moving pictures on the wall and a phoenix bird sitting on a post.

"Oh, no thank you."

McGonagall had me sit on the red couch and then placed the hat on my head.

"Slytherin!" It cried immediately. My shoulders sunk and I was disappointed. The headmistress looked at bit surprised but quickly moved on.

"Now onto what classes you'll be taking, You will have to take Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, Potions, History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Astronomy." She told me. "Now, under normal circumstances a fourth year would be allowed to take two elective classes but seeing as how you've not had any schooling-"

"Please, I want to take electives." I interrupted. "If I do poorly I can drop a class but I want to try. And I was homeschooled so I have had some schooling." I pleaded with her.

"What electives would you be interested in studying?" She asked hesitantly.

"Care of Magical Creature and Ancient Runes."

She pressed her lips together.

"Alright. We'll do a month trial period and if you have anything less than a Acceptable in a class, I shall have to pull you out of Ancient Runes."

I guess she figured that Care of Magical Creatures wouldn't be too much work.

"Okay. So where is the Slytherin Common room?" I asked, standing up and inching toward the exit.

"The dungeons." She smiled grimly. "I'll have a prefect show you the way."

When we exited there was a tall boy standing there with black robes with the Slytherin insignia on them.

He had dirty blonde hair and he looked fit.

"Mr. Riley, could you escort Ms. Williams to your common room?" McGonagall asked in a tone that said he didn't actually have a choice. He smiled and nodded.

"Of course. Right this way." He offers me his arm.

"Lead on." I took his arm. "Oh my trunks-"

"Will be waiting in your dormitory, I'm sure. So does Williams come with a first name?" He grinned.

"Atria. You?"

"Mason Riley. I'm also the Slytherin Quidditch Captain. Sixth year." He was cute.

"I'm thinking about trying out for Quidditch. I'm a seeker." I told him. Hogwarts was beautiful, I noticed on our way to the dungeon.

"Really? You should come out. We need a seeker. Have you played before?" He asked, not more business than flirty.

"Yep." I nodded. "I'm a fourth year though. Is that too late?"

He shook his head. "Nah, the young kids are all immature. Makes it difficult to practice when you have a bunch of pre-teens trying to show off." He winked at me.

"So are you a pureblood?" I asked. He blanched and stuttered. "Sorry, that was forward." I blushed.

"Ah, no halfblood. I have a little bit of everything." He shrugged. "You?"

"Ah, pretty much yea." I admitted. That was the first thing one did when you talked with death eaters. You all spoke about how superior you were because your blood was cleaner and purer.

And my mother had been the worst. Her mother being Bellatrix Lestrange and I had always figured it was a tossup who my father was. Either Tom Riddle of Rodolphus Lestrange. I wasn't sure if my mother had figured it out, but my first clue was that I could speak to snakes. A rare gift that Riddle had passed to Harry Potter and possibly his granddaughter.

I realized that Mason was talked to me and nodded like I had been paying attention the whole time.

"You're not into the pureblood mania, are you?" He turned to face me suddenly. "Cause no one here really does that."

I chuckled. "I'm living with the Potters." That was all the explaination needed.

"Really? So you know Freddie?"

"Yea, last week he asked me to marry him." I laughed. Mason also laughed, clearly knowing Freddie's sense of humor.

"So here we are." We stopped in front of a stone wall. "Toaster Strudels." He said and the stones started to realign forming a passageway.

The Slytherin common room was dark with light reflecting from the lake and dancing on the walls. The furniture was green and black and you could see fish and other manner of sea creatures through the glass.

Was the common room under the lake? I wondered. That's so creepy.

"Attie!" Freddie jumped off the couch. "You're in Slytherin!" He shouted excitedly. A few students glanced at us.

"Shush." I hit his arm playfully.

"Hope Riley was taking good care of you?" Freddie looked at Mason who was still standing next to me. Mason blushed.

"Yes, he was."

"This is brilliant! James is going to be so jealous. He was sure you would be in Gryffindor." Freddie laughed. "Hey Amanda." He called over to one of the girls who were on the couch. The blonde got up and walked over to us.

"Atria this is Amanda Fort. She's a fourth year, as well."

"Hi, lovely to meet you." She extended her hand to me. "You're going to love it. We got lucky with the girls in our dorm. There's actually only 7 of us in our year and they're all pretty chill." I guess she seemed nice enough. Her smile was really bright.

"Thanks. I'm sure it'll be awesome." I replied.

"So Atria, you said you were thinking about trying out for Quidditch," Mason cut in.

Amanda shrieked. "Oh me too! You're not going out for keeper are you?" Her smiled dropped slightly.

I laughed. "No, seeker."

"So far I know of two other people going out for keeper and only one going out for seeker."

"Who's the one?"

"Drew Brightly." Mason and Freddie said together. "He tries out every year and even when we had a seeker and always gets cut. He's a sixth year. Last year no one else tried out so we had to pick him after our other seeker and captain graduated," Mason explained.

"So you don't want him on the team?" I asked. Hadn't Scorpius and Albus been talking about team loyalty and whatnot?

"He's got a horrible attitude. Thinks he knows everything and isn't that great of a seeker." Freddie muttered. "You have to try out and beat him." Freddie grabbed me suddenly and his nose pressed against my as he looked into my eyes.

"Sure." I squeaked.

PLEASE REVIEW! -Alex 


	5. Merlin, She's Not That Amazing

"Alright, our first game against Ravenclaw." Mason said, trying to look brave. This past week I fell off my broom twice at practice. Freddie had almost sent Amanda to the hospital wing and Scorpius was a nervous wreck.

Of course there had been spies watching our practice so perhaps it was a good thing we didn't reveal our strengths right before the first match.

"Atria, distract Dimitri Whatshisface." Mason told me.

"How?"

"Aren't you dating him?" Alex Nott asked. He was our second beater.

"Well, yea but he's pretty focused. I don't think he'd be fooled by me batting my eyelashes."

"Well, fine. Just find the snitch before Weasley does." Rose's brother Hugo was the seeker for Ravenclaw and was apparently pretty good.

At breakfast Rose had said, "I'm rooting for you to have a good game but I also have to cheer on my brother, and I'm a Gryffindor so I can't root for Slytherin but I hope you, Scorpius, and Freddie do well." Then she took a deep breath.

Scorpius was nervous because his parents were there and so were Rose's parents. That made me nervous as well. Draco Malfoy had known Bellatrix Lestrange. What if he recognized me?

Although with my bright orange hair I doubt he would. I shouldn't be nervous because despite the fact I hadn't done so great in practice, I was infinitely better in competitive situations.

"You ready?" Scorpius asked me.

I swallowed. "As I'll ever be." He nodded.

"After the game I'll introduce you to my parents." He told me. "My dad's not as bad as everyone thinks."

I smiled. "I know. You should introduce him to Rosie as well." His smile dipped.

"Her father's here. I don't think I should even look at her." He muttered.

"Well, I think you should treat her like you do me. I mean, I staying with the Potters-"

"My father and Rose's father have more grudges against each other than my dad and Mr. Potter do."

"They're quite similar, really."

"Alright kiddies, time to roll." Freddie grinned and clapped Scorpius on the shoulder.

We flew out and Madam Hooch walked out onto the pitch with a crate.

"Now, I want a nice, clean game. No dirty business." Her voice was raspy from old age. She unlocked the box, releases the bludgers and snitch. Hugo and I looked at each other from across the pitch.

Then a whistle blew and I got out of the way. Scorpius had the ball and Freddie was swinging his bat. Dimitri looked ready to kill. Hugo started circling about the pitch, but I stayed still.

I looked for glints of lights, or a waiver in the sky. Twenty minutes went by and I saw nothing. It was 40 to 60 Ravenclaw.

"Williams, do something!" I heard Mason cry.

"There is nothing to do. I can't spot it!" I yelled back.

Ravenclaw scored another goal. I heard Mr. Weasley shout a hurrah and saw Mr. Malfoy clench his teeth.

Then I saw a glint.

I flew straight at it and heard the announcer make a comment.

Then it disappeared. Hugo flew up next to me.

"Tricky snitch, isn't it."

Scorpius scored.

"Yea, I thought I saw it but I don't know."

"Weasley, stop fraternizing with the enemy." Dimitri shouted and he aimed a bludger at me. It missed and almost took out Hugo.

"He's one to talk."

I smirked at Hugo's comment. We had only started dating three weeks ago when he asked me to Hogsmeade that was scheduled that weekend.

"This game could go on for hours." I groaned. I caught a glint out of the corner of my eye. I had to be careful, so Hugo wouldn't notice as well. I casually looked around and saw the snitch hovered behind the stands. "I think I should back away from you before any more bludgers come my way and accidentally hit you." I laughed and slowly pulled forward.

"Yea, Dimitri would aim for you and hit anyone but you." Hugo nodded. I kept my eye on the snitch while still flying casually. I think a few more points were scored but I'm wasn't sure who scored them.

My eyes stayed trained on the snitch while trying to be casual until I was far enough away from Hugo. The snitch buzzed about and moved above the teacher's stands. I looked back at Hugo who was flying around and looking about. He was far enough away now.

I darted after the snitch in a way the made the teachers gasp as I almost took a few out. The snitch evaded me on the first try and by this time I knew Hugo would be on his way. I had ten seconds before I had competition. I dove behind the stands for the snitch and pulled up as it jerked up.

My hand reached out and I tumbled forward as it fluttered in my hand. I did a few somersaults in the air and a few more on the ground.

I felt my spleen go into my brain and my head snapped forward.

I fell back and lay there for a few seconds breathing. I heard cheering and the Madam Pomfrey screeching.

"Everybody back away!"

She came to my side as my teammates filed around me. I sat up, the snitch fluttering in my hand. Scorpius was at my side.

"You were brilliant!" He yelled.

"Mr. Malfoy please!" Madam Pomfrey said harshly.

Professor McGonagall arrived as well as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"Atria, darling are you alright?" Hermione asked me, wringing her hands together. I stood up with Scorpius helping me and Madam Pomfrey encouraging me to be still.

"Yea, I'm fine." My neck twinged. "Just a little sore." I admitted.

Mr. Malfoy appeared next to Scorpius.

"Dad, you should probably looked at her just in case." Scorpius told his father who also happened to be an excellent healer.

"Really, I'm fine."

After a few minutes, people dispersed.

A few people stayed with me.

"That was an excellent catch." Mr. Malfoy told me. Mr. Weasley and Hugo glared at him, but he paid them no notice.

"Oh, we should probably get some food into you." Mrs. Weasley said. Rose nodded. Astoria, Scorpius's mother, nodded as well.

"Why don't we go out for lunch? I'm sure McGonagall could excuse Atria and Scorpius and maybe Rose as well?" Mrs. Malfoy said smiling coyly. Mr. Weasley opened his mouth but Hermione elbowed him in the side.

"Can I mum?" Rose asked.

"If it's alright with Minerva, then it's alright with us." Hermione responded before Ron could.

"Lovely, I'll go speak with her now." Astoria fluttered off somewhere.

"You sure you don't feel dizzy?" Mr. Malfoy asked, looking into my eyes.

Wow, his eyes were really beautiful. So that's where Scorpius got his from. Damn, if Scorpius aged like his father he was set for life.

"Uh, no. I'm really okay, my stomachs just a little upside-down." _From looking into your eyes_.

"Aunt Hermione?" Albus walked over to us. "Great game, mate." He said to Scorpius. He looked at me and then looked away.I stuck my tongue out at him. Mr. Malfoy looked strained and Mr. Weasley was red.

"We're going to Hogsmeade, want to come?" Scorpius asked. My eyes narrowed. Albus caught my glare and grinned.

"I would love to." He said slowly, dragging out every blasted word.

Of course Atria was at the top of our class. Much to everyone's surprise, but mostly Albus's, she was brilliant. She had even surpassed Rose and Christian Davis who had been battling for top spot since first year.

Her specialty was potions, but really she was excellent at everything. Albus was pretty sure that was impossible. Everyone has something that they aren't good at, but no, Atria could fly, cast a patronus, and perform magic that many seventh years couldn't do.

She was a prodigy.

And Albus hated it.

"Al, have you heard a word that I've said?" Scorpius asked.

"What?"

"I'll take that as a no." Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Nervous for the upcoming game?"

Slytherin was playing Gryffindor and if anyone thought Atria catching the snitch before Hugo was a fluke, they had been very wrong. Now Gryffindor was playing Slytherin in for the Quidditch cup and Albus was worried.

He had always caught the snitch, except for that one game second year.

"How can she be that good?" Al blurted out. Scorpius chuckled.

"I think it's in her genes to be good at everything."

"I am determined to beat her." Al gritted his teeth.

Scorpius laughed. "We've won every game because of her. My dad is ready to adopt her."

Attie had spent Christmas with the Malfoys and Easter with the Weasleys.

"My uncle is ready to marry her." Al muttered. Scorpius looked at him questioningly. "She's helping him with new products for the joke shop. You know, my uncle George. And he is raking in money on her products." He growled.

Scorpius rolled his eye, "Of course she is. Slytherin hasn't won the Cup in ten years and my dad thinks she's single-handedly going to win it for us."

"Well, even you admitted you're only winning because of her."

"Who?" Rose sat down for breakfast.

"Atria? Who else?" Al glowered at her. Rose raised her hands in surrender.

"Al's worried about losing." Scorpius explained.

"Well, she is amazing-"

"Rose!"

"Well, she is." She said. "She also broke up with Dimitri."

"What? Why?" Al asked.

"I don't know. I guess she got bored with him."

"She's only a fourth year!" Al exploded." Fourth years don't date sixth years, and if they do, they don't break up with them." Amanda slid next to Al.

"I was so bloody shocked when she told me she dumped him. It's been all over school. I also heard that Mason was trying to get on with her." Amanda told them, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Scorpius spit out some of his drink.

"Ew!" Rose shrieked.

"They can't date!" Scorpius exclaimed. "What if something happened? Our Quidditch team would be ruined. There's a delicate balance that needs to be maintained and nurtured." Rose rolled her eyes as Scorpius's voice rose dramatically.

Amanda nodded. "I know. Rose, we should talk to her to make sure nothing happens."

"She's not even that attractive." Al muttered.

"Eh, she's pretty cute." Scorpius said. "And like you said, she's only a fourth year. She'll be gorgeous by the time she's a seventh year." Rose glanced at him. Al glared at him.

"Or she could get fat and break out in acne." Al smirked.

Amanda rolled her eyes. "She's a metamorphmagus, Al. Even if that happened, we would never know if she didn't want us to know."

"And she's a Quidditch star," James slid next to Amanda.

"Where've you been?" Al asked his older brother.

James ruffled his hair. "Snogging with Eloise Brusk."

"I thought you said you and Atria were going to get married and have three kids?" Scorpius grinned.

"Well, apparently no one told her that." James huffed.

"You know she broke up with her boyfriend?" Amanda grinned. James perked up.

"When?"

"Last night some time."

"How did I not know about this?"

"No idea mate." Scorpius shrugged. "I heard three different girls talking about it on the way to breakfast." James went into deep thought.

"Where is she anyways?" Rose asked.

"Sleeping in." Amanda replied, cramming some eggs in her mouth. "With the game tomorrow, she wanted her rest. I think she was going to practice when she woke up."

"When is the next Hogsmeade weekend?" Scorpius asked. It took everyone a second to follow the sudden conversation change.

"Um… in two weeks, I think." Rose said.

"Why thinking of asking someone?" James grinned wolfishly.

"Nah, no point at the end of the year." Scorpius smirked. Amanda and Rose gagged.

"Right, because you only plan on keeping a girl until the end of the year." Amanda rolled her eyes.

"Alright kiddies, I'm off." James got up and exited the Great Hall.

More people were starting to roll in.

"Well, you change over summer." Scorpius argued.

"Yea, and what if you meet some hot girl at the beach and can't do anything about it because you're tied down to a girl that you haven't seen in a month." Albus remarked.

Rose hit him in the back of the head. He flinched.

"Actually I think that's why Atria broke up with Dimitri. With summer coming up she won't see him." Amanda said.

"There's this thing called the floo network." Rose snapped. "They could make the effort and visit each other." Al laughed and Amanda followed.

"While you lot sit here trying to understand Atria's mind, I'm going for a walk." Al stood up, grabbing one last strudel.

"I'll come." Amanda stood up as well.

Scorpius shook out his hair and glanced at Rose.

"So what do you think you'll do for summer?" Rose asked me.

"I don't know. It would be great if I could go with your Uncle Charlie to study dragons, but I might be a bit young." I responded. We were walking in front of the lake while the boys were swimming.

"Yea, I think you have to be sixteen." Rose said regretfully. Then she perked up. "Maybe you could come spend a few weeks at my house."

"I don't know," I hesitated, "I don't want to intrude." I had already invaded the Potter's house, I didn't want to take over the whole family.

"Are you kidding? They love you."

"I'm in Slytherin. I know they would handle that for a week over Easter, but over the summer would be a lot." I bit my lip.

"Please, my father loves you and my mother loves your grades." Rose laughed. Al dunked Scorpius under water. We stopped walking for a minute to watch the idiots goof off. "And you'd get a break from Al." That made me smile.

This year had been exhausting and not from Quidditch or classwork. No, battling Al was a fulltime job.

"You're right. I need some relaxing time." I said finally.

That summer was the best of my life. We spent have of it at the beach and the other half lounging in the Malfoy's pool. Their house really was grand. So large it rivaled Hogwarts and so beautiful it could pass as Beauxbatons.

Al and I avoided each other like the plague and flung insults when we saw each other.

There was the one incident when I may have "accidentally" tried to drown him.

One thing was for sure. Fifth year was going to be interesting.


	6. End of Summer

James and I were sitting at the kitchen counter eating breakfast. Al was with Scorpius and Lily was with Hugo at Rose's house.

"So, Attie," James smiled at me.

"James," I sighed.

"Wait, hear me out." He threw his hands up. I paused and then waited for him to speak. "Why not go out with me?" He questioned.

"Because it would be weird. I think deep down you know that." I insisted and he pouted. "You're not actually interested in me. You just like the idea of having someone accessible and safe. If we actually got together do think it would last more than a month?" He opened his mouth and then closed it.

"Why do you want to go out with me, anyways?" I asked.

"Because you're smart, funny, caring -"

"But not pretty?" I asked.

"Of course you pretty."

"Then why didn't you say that? Usually when you talk about a girl that's the first thing you mention." I said. Once again, he looked stumped. "See, you don't actually fancy me in that way. It's weird for you to be attracted to me because you think of me more like a best friend than a snogging prospect."

"So you're saying if I wanted to shag you that would be better?"

"No! Now you're just arguing to argue." I rolled my eyes. "I'm saying that you want to be around me and the only way you think to do that is by dating me. We can be just friends." I grabbed his hand. "You won't lose me." I promised him. He looked slightly relieved by this.

"How about a trip to Diagon Alley?"

I smiled. "Sure. I still haven't picked up my school books yet."

"I can't believe my best friend is top of her class. That almost cancels out the fact that you're an ultimate prankster." James nudged my shoulder. We put our dishes in the sink.

"Have you gotten your letters yet?" I asked.

"Nah. Wonder who's our year's prefects." He said, staring off into space.

"Rose and Scorpius will probably be prefects. Maybe Amanda." I shrugged. I didn't really have a clue.

"Not you and Al? You're both as good of students as Rosie and Scor." His eyebrows drew together.

"Nope, our files are the size of hippogriffs." I laughed. "I may have the grades but trying to constantly maim another student might count against me."

"Just maybe." James grinned.

"Are you excited for Apparition lessons this year?" I changed the subject.

"Yea, it's going to be amazing to just go wherever I want to."

"In the mean time…" I motioned to the fireplace.

"Diagon Alley."

I repeated after James and then disappeared.

"So, you and Sasha?" Scorpius grinned at Al.

"Calm down, skippy. It was just a summer fling. She lives in France." Al scoffed.

They were back at Scor's house now after two weeks on the beaches of Morocco.

"I still think she's stalking you. What are the chances she's there the same time we are?" Scorpius nudged Al's shoulder. Sasha had been following him around at Hogwarts towards the end of fourth year.

"Her entire family was there." Al remarked.

"Either way, you excited to be back? School starts in less than a week."

"Feels like we just bloody got off, now we have to go back."

"It'll be fun to see everyone again." Scorpius got some pumpkin pasties from kitchen.

Al made a face.

"Al you live with her."

"I know," Al said indignantly, "but at home I can escape from her. Go to the beach or come here but at Hogwarts I can't just up and leave." He wiped his hands down his face. "And James is always hovering. At Hogwarts we're all forced together." He groaned.

"I still don't know why you don't like her."

"I don't get why you all do."

"Because she's awesome." Scorpius grinned when Al glared at her. "She's really nice, although a bit snappy, and she's an excellent witch."

"That pissed Rose off a bit." Al grinned. It was funny to watch Rose struggle with not being the best in the class anymore.

"Well, Atria doesn't even study. I think that's what pissed off Rosie." Scorpius said sitting down on the lounge by the pool. "She's spends all her time doing nothing but homework, and Atria just does it."

Al rolled his eyes.

"And that's what gets me. She's hadn't had any proper schooling and she's amazing at everything. Doesn't that seem weird to you?" He pressed.

"Well, she's already told me she's a pureblood. She might have had private lessons."

Al huffed. "She's a pureblood?" Scorpius nodded. "How could I not know that?"

"She doesn't really like to spread it around. Besides she probably knew it would make you hate her more." Scorpius looked at Al.

"I wouldn't think that! She's a horrible person for a lot of reasons but that isn't one. My mum's a pureblood." Al folded his arms. "And so are you."

They stayed silent for a moment.

"I can't believe I haven't seen Rose all summer." Scorpius finally said.

"None of us have seen any of them. They went to visit her grandparents in Florida."

"I thought they were going to America."

"Florida is in America."

"Oh."

Mr. Malfoy walked outside in a neatly tailored suit.

"Hey dad."

"What are you two doing back so soon?" Draco Malfoy raised his eyebrows. "I thought you weren't coming back for another three days." Al gave him a weird look.

"Al couldn't take anymore of his summer fling." Scorpius teased.

"We mutually agreed it would be better to stop seeing each other." Al said. Draco laughed.

"Does she go to Hogwarts?"

"Yea." Al sighed.

"Then you know that's not the end of it." Draco said. Al looked down dejectedly.

"Yea."

"Scorpius there's a letter for you on the counter. Albus you might want to go home and see if you've received your letter as well." Draco told the boys. They looked at each other and then ran inside.

Scorpius tore open his letter and pulled out several pieces of parchment and a badge. "I'm a prefect." He looked awed. Al rolled his eyes.

"Of course you are. Who else?"

"Do you think you'll be the Gryffindor prefect?"

"No, my record counts against me, Mr. I've-Never-Had-A-Detention." He teased Scorpius. Predictably, Scor flushed slightly in the cheeks.

"So who will the fifth year prefect be?"

"Probably Eddie Raymen and Rose." Al shrugged. "And probably Amanda or Esell for Slytherin fifth year girl prefect."

"Merlin, I hope Amanda." Scorpius said. "Esell is…" He struggled for the right word.

"Scary?"

"No, just really intimidating."

"Most people would say the same thing about Atria." Al muttered.

"Atria talks to people though. She doesn't just glare at them hatefully." Al raised his eyebrows. "Except for you, then she'll glare hatefully." Scorpius teased.

"Well, let's take a look at our book list." Al scanned the parchment, changing the subject. "We should go to Diagon Alley. I need to get some stuff from the joke shop as well."

"I'm not sure it would be responsible of me to let you get things to torture my best friend." Scorpius said.

"I have no idea what you mean." Al grinned and then frowned. "I thought I was your best friend."

"Atria is my best Slytherin friend."

"And I'm your best Gryffindor friend." Al said and Scorpius said humorously quiet. "Rose can't be your best friend!" Al exploded.

"Why not?"

"Because she's a girl." Scorpius looked at Al. "Not like that. But you can't talk about shagging and guy stuff with a girl and she's not going to tell you about girl stuff."

"I know. I just like seeing your wand in a knot."

Al glared at him. Scorpius's mother walked in.

"Mum we're going to Diagon Alley." Scorpius said.

"Are you sure you should go alone? Maybe your father should go with you." She asked rubbing her hands together.

"Mum, if I'm old enough to be a prefect I think I can go into Diagon Alley with my friend." Mr. Malfoy's face lit up.

"You're a prefect?" She said. He nodded. "Oh I'm so proud of you. Does your father know yet? We should hold a big dinner." She said all in one breath. "And you, Albus?" She said before either of them could get a word in.

"Nah, too much fighting."

"You and Attie should be nicer to each other. She could end up being your sister-in-law." Mrs. Malfoy said. That made Al scoff. "Scorpius said that James was chasing after her." She looked at her son to back her up.

"He is." Scorpius insisted, "But I never said that she felt the same way." His mother shook her head. "It's complicated."

"I don't understand why."

"Because they're teenagers." Draco came in from the living from off of the kitchen. They had about three living rooms unless you counted the one upstairs, then their were four. He stood behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her midsection.

"Draco, the children are going into Diagon Alley." Mrs. Malfoy informed her husband.

"Okay, see you in few hours. Make sure you take your school list." Draco gave them a stern look. "Just because you don't buy school, books doesn't mean you don't have to go to school." He gave Scorpius an admonishing look. Al glanced at Scorpius.

"And you got prefect?" Al scoffed. "Mate, Hogwarts is going down hill."

"Come on, you wanker."

Once in Diagon Alley, Albus and Scorpius first visited the Quidditch store, and then the Weasley Joke shop, and were now headed towards the book store. Al sighed when they passed Ollivander's.

He missed being a first year. No O.W.L.'s, no Atria, and no pressure. But then he wouldn't have met Scorpius and he probably wouldn't be as good of a Quidditch player as he was. He was vaguely aware that Scorpius had started talking to him, but was too caught in his own musings to hear him properly.

As annoyingly perfect as Atria was, it only made him try harder. If only to beat her.

And there she was. As Albus and Scorpius entered Flourish and Blotts, Al saw James and Atria standing very close together.

_You could be her brother-in-law_, Mrs. Malfoy had said. Albus had scoffed, but now he realized that's exactly what was happening. Even if she and James never married, she was a part of the family now. For the first month he had thought she would be gone next holiday.

But here they were, the next summer, and she was still living with him and hanging with her family.

"Hey, Scorpius." The little demon said. She was always bright and cheerful.

"How've you been?" He asked her as they hugged.

"Excellent. Mostly been with James or Freddy all summer." Atria shrugged. "We were bored, so we decided to so some before school shopping." She explained.

"We got our letters." Scorpius grinned. "I made prefect."

"Really? That's excellent. I hope Amanda is the other Slytherin prefect."

"Agreed. Your letters are probably at home now."

"So I was thinking about getting a Pygmy Puff." Atria said, playing with a strand of her blue hair. Other people in the shop were looking at her, but Albus barely noticed the vivacious colors anymore.

"It would be dead within the month." He remarked dryly. She glared at him and didn't bother to respond. They knew each other well enough to know when they were actually fighting or when they were just needling each other.

"I'm thinking-"

"Blue." Scorpius interrupted her. She sighed, shaking her head at how predictable she was. Then her hair changed to purple. "Still in the same area." Scorpius smiled. Then her hair turned orange.

"Why does everyone have such a problem with my hair?" Atria huffed.

"Who has a problem with your hair?" James came up to them, carrying a stack of books.

"Everyone, apparently."

"That's not what we said." Scorpius argued. "Just that you're a bit—"

"Predictable." Albus smirked.

Atria turned to Scorpius. "Why are you hanging out with this wanker?" She hissed.

"Atria, why don't you and I hang out for a little while?" Scorpius said, trying to defuse the tension.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Al snapped.

"Brother bonding."

_PLEASE REVIEW! I have the next couple chapters written so stay tuned and please review. Feedback is always appreciated. _


	7. An Unexpected Journey

**_Sorry that took a while, guys. Enjoy and review!_**

"James, tell Albus to pass the potatoes."

"James, tell Atria to say please."

"James, tell Albus I say please… go dunk your head in the toilet."

"James-"

"Enough!" Grandma Weasley shouted. The entire table went quiet. Albus and I leaned back in our chairs, pouting. James looked ready to make a run for it or dodge an explosion. "Now, it's Christmas Eve and some of us would like to enjoy it."

It took a few minutes for everyone to return to their normal conversation.

Albus was only mad because Slytherin had once again beaten Gryffindor in Quidditch. I'm not sure why he was so upset at this point, he should be used to it by now. Slytherin had been undefeated since I arrived at Hogwarts.

Now, two years later, Albus was still pissy that he had never caught the snitch before me. He was also pissy about the fact that I was taking ten N.E.W.T courses. For sixth year, I had decided to keep all of my subjects and add Alchemy(which was only for sixth and seventh years). Most students dropped at two subjects and some only dropped one.

I had dropped none and Rose had only dropped one because she didn't like Arithmancy as much as she had expected.

Scorpius and Albus both dropped two subjects this year. Scorpius dropped Astronomy and Divination, Albus dropped History of Magic and Divination. Come to think of it, I'm not sure anyone carried on with divination. I wasn't even quite sure why it was a subject. Being a seer was not something that you could teach.

I was going over to Scorpius's house for dinner tomorrow. Grandma Weasley was quite furious when I announced this, as was Rose.

After dinner all the "kiddies" went into the living room and chatted. At one point someone, probably James, suggested spin the bottle. Then someone else, probably Dom, said that that was disgusting because most of them were related. Only Teddy and I weren't actually related by blood.

I ran into Albus on the way up to bed. We stared awkwardly at each other.

"I'm going to see Rosie." He said.

"Oh, okay. We're, um, sharing a room." I pressed my lips together. He opened his mouth, no doubt to throw an insult, but then shut it.

"I'll just follow you up then."

I stared at him for a second then slowly moved. Every time I stayed here I got lost. There were so many floors and multiple rooms on each floor, it was impossible not to get lost.

The Burrow used to be smaller apparently but Grandma Weasley had extended to house upward and added some undetectable extension charms.

"Hey, Al." Rose looked surprised that he was following me. She was sitting on one of the three beds in the room. I guess Dom was staying with us as well.

"We're doing the family quidditch tournament tomorrow." He told her. They always did that once I left. I suspected it was because Al knew he couldn't win against me and his dad let him catch the snitch first.

"Awesome." Rose grinned. She didn't play for Gryffindor but she still liked Quidditch. "Attie do you have to leave?"

"Astoria wanted to see me on Christmas and your grandma wanted me to be here for Christmas Eve dinner. Solution- have dinner, leave next day."

"When are you leaving?" Albus asked, with a surprising lack of resent.

"Probably around 10. Still morning but late enough to open presents." I smiled. I was wearing a black sweater that Grandma Weasley had made that had a big purple A knitted into it. Albus had a red sweater with a green A on it that matched his eyes.

The same deep green with a little bit of blue. They were really bright against his pale skin and dark hair. It was sort of… beautiful.

"I wish I could come. I hardly ever see Scorpius over breaks." Rose's shoulders slumped.

"Your dad would flip if you went to the Malfoy Manor." Albus said.

"You go." Rose pointed out.

"Yea, and every time your dad does a thorough evaluation of me to make sure I wasn't cursed or anything." Albus sighed.

"What if he came here?" Rose asked.

"Why do you care so much?" I questioned her. "It's only another week, then we go back." I shrugged. She jumped up and started pacing.

"But it's summer break as well. I hardly see him all summer, while you two see him every other day."

"Alright next time we hang out, you can come." Albus surrendered.

Rose flung her hands in the air and stomped out of the room. Albus looked traumatized by the extreme PMSing Rose had just displayed. He looked to me for an explanation but I had nothing.

"I didn't realize she liked Scorpius that much." Albus muttered.

"I think it's just that when we're doing our thing at school, they always hang out or mock us." I said. "They're each other's best friends at school, but at home their families keep them apart. Or at least they think their families keep them apart."

"Aunt Hermione would be fine with them hanging out."

"I don't think it's the mothers either of them are worried about. It's the dad's." I stared at him.

"Scorpius!" Rose shouted excitedly. He noticed her running at him on Platform 9 and 3/4 just in time. She threw her weight at him and it almost knocked him backwards into some family.

"Rose, how was your holiday?" He held her tightly before breaking the embrace.

"Good, a bit crazy and I was sad when Atria had to go."

"And I was happy when she came." Scorpius chuckled. "But I wish you and Al could have come with her."

"Me too." Rose unconsciously stepped back. "We'll meet in the Room of Requirement at eight o'clock tonight to exchange gifts."

"Oh Atria already gave me gift."

"Psh, that wasn't your real gift. Just like the ones I gave Al and Attie weren't there real gifts either. You should've seen Al's face when I gave him a day planner." Rose grinned.

"Where are they anyways?" He looked around. He saw the Weasley's, all one thousand of them, but he didn't see the Potter's.

"I don't know." Rose shrugged, "But they'll be here."

A few minutes later the Potter's came in. Well, some of them.

"Aunt Ginny, where's Al and Atria?" Rose shrieked.

"We had to leave them at home if we wanted some of children to get on the train." Ginny said furiously. Scorpius's mouth dropped. The train horn shrieked and it was the last call to get on the train.

"Mum, are you going back to get them?!" James yelled.

"Get on the train, children." Hermione said.

There were a lot of grumbles.

"Are you going back for them?" Ron asked.

"We'll have to apparate them to Hogsmeade and I have someone meet them at the gates." Harry sighed.

"What did they do?" Ron asked, grinning slightly.

"They were just arguing and we told them to get ready and they weren't ready and we waited but they still weren't ready so we figured we'd get half of the children here." Ginny said, exasperated. "We should go get them, before they kill each other."

Hermione elbowed Ron when he laughed.

Except when they returned home, the Potter's found the manor completely empty.

"Oh, sh-"

"Harry!"

"What are we going to do?" Albus paced around. "They actually left us. I can't believe they left us." This rambling went on for a few minutes. He didn't notice that Atria had left the room and now returned.

She held her broom in one hand and a small bag in the other.

"What are you doing?"

Atria sighed. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to school."

"You're going to fly to Hogwarts?" Albus yelled.

"Your dad did in his second year. We just have to find the train, like he did, and follow it. I have all my clothes in here." Atria said, lifting the small bag. "Undetectable extension charm." She sneered at Albus's confused look.

"Don't you think mum and dad might be a bit cross if we do this? We could just wait for them to take us." Albus suggested.

"And let them simmer in anger for a few hours? No thank you." Atria rolled her eyebrows. "Better to ask forgiveness than permission. They'll be so impressed we wanted to go back to school, they can't be mad."

"That is ridiculous." Albus scoffed.

"Look, they could stop us from going back to school if we wait here, but they can't pull us out once we're already there. Besides, they might cool off if they don't see us for a little while." Atria grabbed her bag and made for the door.

"Ok wait." Albus said. She stopped at the door. "There's no way I'm getting blamed if you fall off your broom, so I'm coming." He said firmly.

"You're going to protect me?" Atria raised her eyebrows.

"No, I'm going to protect myself from punishment. What if muggles see us?" He remarked dryly. "And you need to charm my bag and help me pack."

"I'll do the undetectable extension charm, but I'm not going anywhere near your dirty knickers." Atria snapped as they went to Albus's room. "And we'll use cloaking charms so no one sees us."

"A what?"

"A cloaking charm. I've been working on it with George. Basically, we're going to sell jewelry that has a charm that making you invisible. Carrying an actual invisibility cloak round is too much work." Atria explained, talking slowly. Albus rolled his eyes.

"Yes, thank you." He snarled. "And you have some of the cloaking charms?"

"Yea,this will be a perfect test run."

"You haven't tested them out?" Albus shouted. "What if they don't work?"

"When has anything I've done not worked?"

He opened his mouth then closed it. Albus had first hand knowledge of how talented Atria was, because she tested much of her products out on him. Most of them were for pranking and had disastrous results.

Atria was right - everything worked fine.

Except for when they couldn't find the train and ended up flying around London.

"This was the worst plan ever!" Albus shouted over the wind. "Why did I listen to you?" Atria rolled her eyes.

"You wanted to protect me!" she shouted back. "Look, we'll go to Dufftown, that's not far from Hogsmeade."

"Fine!"

A few hours later they arrived at Dufftown.

"Now what?" Albus said.

"Now we get to Hogsmeade." Atria said firmly. "Then we take a secret passageway up to Hogwarts."

"Oh is that all?" Albus said sarcastically. "Hogwarts is an extremely secure place. There are spells and charms that protect the school from people just walking in." He said like he was talking to an idiot.

"Yes, I know." She snapped. "I also know how to get in and out."

"How?"

"James and Freddie, of course." She scoffed.

Albus paused. _They wouldn't tell her_.

But the look she was giving him said otherwise. "_You _know about the map?"

Atria scoffed. "Of course. I also created some of the passageways." She smirked at the positively horrified look on Albus's face.

_Of course, she can do everything._

"We should go before anyone realizes we're not where we're supposed to be." Atria said.

"Whatever." He muttered.

After flying through some rain they finally arrived in Hogsmeade late at night. They were sore and cranky after flying for so many hours.

"Come on." Atria hissed as she quietly moved out of sight.

"Where are we going?"

"Hog's Head. There's a passage that'll take us to the Room of Requirement."

"You know about the Room of Requirement?" Albus exploded. "Why did James tell you all of our family secrets?" He shouted.

"It's not a family secret!" She yelled back. "Anyone can use it, just like the passages!"

"The map-"

"Your dad told me about it." Atria hissed. Albus sputtered. "You're just cross because you were already the disappointment of the family and now you have to deal with me being the best in our year and your own parents like me more than you." Atria had worked herself into a frenzy.

Albus looked at a loss for words because he was so furious.

"You have no fucking idea what you're talking about." Albus seethed. "You're a stray that my family took in. You're like a pet, living in the house, but not really a part of the family and if the house were to catch on fire, no one would try to save the pathetic little mangy dog."

Atria had tears swimming in her eyes from frustration and the back of her throat burned from the restraint it took not to punch him. "You can find your own way to Hogwarts." She disappeared somewhere.

"Dammit!" Albus hit a wall.

"Where are they?" Rose bit her lip. "Uncle Harry should have brought them back by now." Scorpius sighed.

"Who knows? They're probably in major trouble. We might not see them until tomorrow." Scorpius said.

They sitting in the Room of Requirement eating sweets and drinking butterbeer. Rose had turned the room into a small library with a cozy sitting area.

"What are we going to do for Atria's birthday?" Rose asked. Scorpius looked surprised.

"I dunno." He shrugged. "It's not for another three weeks." Atria's birthday was on January 21 and every year they had some type of party. Their fourth year, Atria's first, it had been a large party with most of the school invited. Most of Slytherin and Gryffindor, a lot of Ravenclaw because of Dimitri, and a fair amount of Hufflepuffs as well were all there.

Fifth year it had been cut down to close family and friends. Dimitri had been there even if he and Attie had broken up. Scorpius didn't know why they were still friends.

"It's her seventeenth birthday!" Rose protested. "Good thing we have a Hogsmeade weekend in two weeks." She propped her legs up on the arm of Scorpius's chair.

"Rose!"

"Atria." Rose and Scorpius jumped up. "Wha- Where did you come from?" Rose asked. Atria had tears running down her cheek and she bit her lip.

"What happened?" Scorpius asked, putting an arm around her and directing her to the couch. Atria sniffled. "Did you get in trouble?" She shook her head.

"Albus and I were going to sneak back into school, before anyone could notice that we were missing." Her lip trembled. "But we got in a fight and I left him in Hogsmeade."

"You just left him there?" Rose shrieked.

"He'll be fine." Atria hissed. "He deserved it. He called me a house pet."

"And you no doubt said something to provoke him." Scorpius muttered.

"You never take my side!" Atria shouted. "I am so sick of Albus ruining everything!" Then she stalked out.

Scorpius sighed and grabbed Rose when she tried to run after Atria. Rose looked down at his large hand.

"They're going to have to sort this out for themselves." He said. "Let's go get Al."

"Now do you see why I don't bloody like her?" Albus snarled. He looked so on edge Rose was afraid to say anything.

"Yea, well she wasn't too pleased with you either." Scorpius clearly didn't have the same fear Rose did.

"She started it." Al hissed.

"What did she say?"

"Basically that I was at the bottom of the food chain in our family and that my parents liked her better than me."

Rose inhaled. "And what did you say?"

Al pressed his lips together. "That she was a stray that my family picked up and even though she lived in our house and she was fun to play with, she' not part of the family." Rose gasped.

"Al!" Scorpius scolded.

"And that if there was a fire, no one would try to save." Al admitted, but didn't sound that ashamed.

"Albus Severus Potter!"

"What? She was a bitch as well."

"Yea, but you know your parents love you and that she was just lashing out." Scorpius said. "She isn't actually part of the family and I think it bothers her she doesn't have a family who would risk their lives to save her."

"Although any of us would try to save her." Rose interjected.

"WHY IS SHE ALLOWED TO LASH OUT AND I'M NOT?!" Albus shouted at the top of his lungs. All three of them went silent went silent.

"I'm going to go find her." Rose said quietly and left. Albus deflated slightly.

"Ms. Williams!" McGonagall's voice boomed through the halls. Everyone else was in their common rooms by now. I stopped to face the old Headmistress.

"Yes, professor?" I replied sweetly.

"What are you doing here." She said tightly.

"Um… going to school."

"You know very well what I mean. Is Mr. Potter here?"

"Yep, we're safe and sound." I knew as soon as I left Scorpius and Rose had gone to fetch Potter.

"I'm sure." She said dryly. "Why don't you make your way to the Slytherin Common room?" She asked in a way that was more demanding than questioning.

"Okay."

I was exhausted. Albus Potter had pissed me off past the point of return and I felt bad for Rose and Scorpius who caught the brunt of my anger. I felt someone bump into me.

"Oh sorry." We said simultaneously. It was a boy who I sort of recognized, probably in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. He ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair.

"Sorry." He repeated. I realized I was staring at his mouth.

"No, that was my fault. I wasn't paying attention. Just lost in thought, I suppose. I really should have be looking where I was walking." I rambled. He chuckled, and mate, it was a lovely chuckle. Nice and deep, but also carefree.

"I'm Justin." He extended his hand. That name sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it. "Head Boy." He said.

"Oh, sorry of course. I definitely know who the Head Boy is." I said. He raised his eyebrows. "No, that's a lie. Who's the Head Girl?"

"Halfway through the year and you don't know who your head's are?" He laughed again.

"I'm Atria."

"I know."

"Oh."

"Yea, I was thoroughly warned about you. And your friends." He smirked. His eyes were brown, like chocolate.

"Whatever you heard, it's a lie." I said automatically.

"Actually, I've heard good things."

"Then you know it's a lie." He raised his eyebrows and grinned.

"Good to know." He said.

And then I stood there grinning like an idiot. But in my defense, he did as well, only he didn't look like an idiot - he looked hot.

The only thing was he was a bit short. I was already short and he was probably only six inches taller than me. All the other boys I knew seemed to tower over me, not that that was a bad thing.

Justin was more reachable. I could just stand on my toes and kiss him if I wanted to. Not that I would.

"Attie!"

Rose was barreling down the hallway until she came to us.

"Hey Justin." She nodded to him. I looked at her. "What? I'm a prefect."

"And it's a cross I have to bear." I sighed. Justin laughed and smiled at me again.

Rose giggled. I gave her a look and she motioned to my hair. It had probably gone red or pink and, of course, matched the color my cheeks probably were.

"It's your own fault you don't know who the Head Boy is."

"Well, now I know." I gave Rose a pointed look and she bit her lip to stop herself from smiling.

"And I'm in Hufflepuff." Justin interjected.

I made a face and Rose cleared her throat giving me another pointed look. "Sorry, I just-"

He laughed. "It's okay. I could say the same about Slytherin." He said. "Each house has it's stereotypes."

"Anyways," Rose drawled out, "We should be going. Being caught out past curfew with the Head Boy could be bad."

"Yes, he could give us detention." I said. Rose rolled her eyes and started to drag me away. "See you later." I said, walking backwards so I could face him. Rose spun me around.

"You seriously didn't know who the Head Boy is?" Rose demanded.

"Why would I know that?"

Rose blanched. "Because I've mentioned him to you!" She screeched.

"When you start talking about prefect duties I tune out."

"Attie-"

"I know, I know. And I'm sorry, but-"

"No, it's alright. I understand perfectly."

"Have you seen Amanda?"

Rose nodded. "At the feast and we talked a little after. She wanted to go see Eric though." I made a face and Rose right. "If you would just get to know him."

"I swear he was making eyes at me." I interrupted her.

"It's not fair to Manda."

"What?"

"You've had lots of boyfriends and she gets one and you think he's interested in you?" Rose said. "It's not fair to Amanda. She's allowed to have a guy like her as well."

"Exactly!" My voice raised. "That's why she shouldn't go out with Eric bloody Muller."

"Attie!"

"But," I paused. "If she's determined to do this I will support her."

Rose pausd. "Right. Well, that's good."

"And I'm sorry for leaving Albus in Hogsmeade." I muttered. Rose raised her eyebrows. She had lovely eyebrows- perfectly arched and auburn. "But don't tell him that I'm sorry 'cause he totally deserved it." She laughed.

"Have you ever thought about what would happen if, I don't know, maybe you guys just left each other alone?"

"What do you mean?"

"All you talk about is how much you hate each other."

"Yep."

"And yet, you spend so much time and effort on each other. You wouldn't have to see each other if you just ignored him."

A day without making fun of Albus?

"Sounds rather boring." I smirked.

_Please Review! I had some writer's block but several amazing reviews helped me! - Alex_


	8. Everyone's Got A Date

A few weeks after I left Albus in Hogsmeade, we were all studying in the library- mostly because Rose was freaked about N.E.W.T.'s. Scorpius wanted to appease her to we agreed to spend an hour in the library that Friday reviewing.

"Al, it's not that complicated-"

"Rose, you wanted me to study and you're punishing me because I don't know something?" He groaned. "Isn't that the point of studying? To learn what you don't know."

"Yes, but it only works if you're paying attention." She snapped back. "We've gone over this three times and you still don't know a shrieking snoffulus from a miliplant."

"Who needs Herbology anyways?"

"Aurors."

"Healers."

"Researchers-"

"Alright, I get it." Al snapped cutting of Rose and Scorpius. I smirked.

"Don't be cross." I chuckled. "Just because-"

"Atria, don't start." Amanda rolled her eyes. I huffed and Albus smirked.

"Hey!" I turned around and Freddie was walking towards us.

"What are you doing?" He gasped.

"Uh studying?" Rose looked confused. Freddie sighed.

"I can't believe I'm related to you lot."

"You're not." Scorpius said dryly.

"I am in spirit." He said. "James is looking for you."

I sighed. "He's so dependent." I looked at Rose who was daring me to get up and leave with her eyes. "Besides I have to study."

Freddie laughed, "You need to study? Like you don't already know everything." He scoffed.

"Just go," Amanda nudged me. "See what he wants then come back." She shrugged.

"Yea, what the cute brunette said."

We looked at Freddie. "What? I know her name's Amanda." He defended himself.

"I think the study session is over." Albus stood up.

"But-"

"Rose, it's dead. Mourn and let it go." Scorpius said comically. She smacked his hand away when he put it on top of her's.

"I'll be back." I got up and Freddie followed me. "What does James want?"

"To talk to you."

"Thank you, I got that part." I said dryly. "About what, though?"

"Just to talk I think." He scratched his head. "He's barely seen you the past few weeks." Freddie pointed out and I shoved him.

"That's because I have my own friends in my year. He has his friends in his year, so why does he need me to babysit him?" I muttered that last part.

"He just wants to spend time with you."

"It's amazing, he runs from commitment with every other girl, but I can't ditch him. What's he going to do next year when he can't come see me every other hour?"

That stumped Freddie.

"I don't know. He'll come visit on Hogsmeade weekends."

I palmed my forehead. "And if I have a boy that I wanted to go to Hogsmeade with?" Freddie blanched.

"As a date?" I nodded. "As is a boyfriend?"

"Yes, Freddie." I said, exasperated.

"Why would you want a boyfriend?"

I'm not proud of this, but I sort of lost my temper at that point. "Why would I- maybe because it's nice to be close with someone! And have someone to talk to and to snog!"

Freddie was quiet. "That's what James wants." He said finally, as if it was the best idea in the world. I palmed my forehead again.

"Bloody James needs to get over it!"

"Atria-"

"What?" I screamed. Justin had approached us and I realized it was him who called out for me and not one of my annoying friends. "Oh sorry, I didn't realize it was you." I smoothed out my hair, which was now purple.

"Who are you?" Freddie asked bluntly.

"Justin."

"He's the Head Boy." I muttered to Freddie while still smiling at Justin.

"You know who the Head Boy is?" Freddie gasped in horror. "Who are you?"

I shoved Freddie. "Can you leave?"

"Fine." He said grudgingly. "I'll tell James you'll be along in a second."

"Tell him that I'll come when I come." I glared at him as he started to leave.

"James Potter?" Justin looked at me.

"Yea, they're dating." Freddie called.

"We are not!" I shouted and turned to Justin, "We're not."

"He just wants to date you?"

"No! He just doesn't want me to date anyone else."

Justin raised his eyebrows. "Not that I listen to him," I said hastily. "Or any of the rest of my family." I muttered.

"I didn't think you were related to them." Justin looked confused. Merlin, I'm a blabbering idiot.

"I'm not actually related but they're practically family."

"So basically James… your almost brother, wants to date you?"

"Um… no. I mean, he thinks he does he just doesn't want to lose me. He thinks if we date or snog or something that I'll fall in love with him and marry him."

I should have stopped talking.

"You must be pretty amazing to have all these blokes after you." Justin said, not seeming to care that I should probably be in the insanity ward at St. Mungo's.

"It's just James." I promised him.

"Didn't you date Ravenclaw's Quidditch captain a few years ago?"

"Uh yea. In fourth year and then we broke up at the end of the year." I told him.

"How long did you date for?"

"About 6 months."

"Did you love him?"

"I was fourteen." I scoffed.

"When's your birthday?"

"Next weekend. On the twenty-first."

"So I'll have just enough time to get you a present." He winked. Merlin, that hot. "Good thing there's a Hogsmeade weekend. Maybe you should come with me to make sure I get you the right thing."

"No, it's not fun if it's not a surprise." I laughed and then realized what he was asking, "That's not to say that I still wouldn't like to go with you though." He grinned.

"Excellent. I'll meet you at the front entrance tomorrow at…"

"How's nine o'clock?" I said.

"Excellent. That's-"

"Excellent?" I guessed and he chuckled. Then he took my hand and raised it to his lips which were slightly parted.

I shivered and sighed. He smiled at my obvious reaction.

"Oh, Justin," I caught his arm as he started to walk away, "There might be some backlash. Like all of the Wotter clan might suddenly hate your guts but don't let them scare you away."

"Never." He leaned down and kissed my cheek.

After that I did not want to go find James and Freddie, so I went out by the lake and walked around. A little while later I noticed Scorpius walking with some girl.

Who in the bloody hell? I thought.

She wasn't in Slytherin and I was pretty sure she wasn't in our year. Were they holding hands?

Holy bat-boogie, did Scorpius have a girlfriend that none of us knew about? How could he not tell me? I get why he wouldn't tell Rose or Albus, but I was his Slytherin confidant. Did Amanda know? He probably wanted his privacy.

"Hey Scor!" I called, waving my hands like a maniac. His eyes widened and he dropped the girl's hand. Now that I was closer I realized it was a seventh year prefect that I had seen on patrol when I was sneaking back to the dorms.

"Attie, I didn't see you there." He laughed nervously.

"Clearly." I smirked. "Who's the bird you've been hiding?" I asked bluntly.

"I'm Jenny." She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You must be Atria Williams."

"Yep."

She gave me a one-over. "I've a lot of… things about you." Did Scorpius seriously like this bint.

"Yea, being top of our class and probably top of the school as well as a Quidditch star and a metamorphmagus, I would expect you to have heard about me." I spat but smiled falsely. Scorpius nudged me. Jenny smiled tightly.

"Yes, well-"

"But Scor hasn't mentioned anything about you." I looked at him and Jenny grimaced again in Scorpius's direction. "Are you dating? Why are you hiding it? Is he ashamed of you?"

"Atria!" Scorpius finally shouted. "See you back in the common room." His tone left little to be said. I skipped out and went back to the common room to wait for him. Then I realized he knew I would be waiting for him and decided to go to library instead.

I found Amanda there and recounted all the dirty details to her.

"Does Rose know?" Was the first thing she asked.

"I don't think anyone knows." I told her. "He's probably ashamed of her. I would be."

"Attie, don't be mean."

"Not mean if it's true."

"We don't know here and it's not as if you were particularly nice to her either." Amanda pointed out.

"I was testing her. If she can't get along with us, she can't stay in Scorpius's life."

Amanda looked at me. I shifted under her hard stare.

"Are you jealous?" She finally asked.

"Of what?"

"You know, Jenny?"

"Why would I be jealous of her?"

"Do you like Scorpius?" She asked slowly.

I scoffed. "Ew, no. He's like my cousin." I shuddered at the thought. "She's just a horrible person. She's a seventh year prefect."

"So?"

"That means that she sort of good but not good enough to be Head Girl." I told her and Amanda rolled her eyes.

"What? I'll probably be a seventh year prefect."

"How do you figure?"

"Rose and Scorpius will by the Heads."

"You never know." I said. She looked at me. "Fine, but she was so condescending." I was so worked up my hair was probably red.

"Hey Albus!" Amanda called which earned a mean look from the crazy librarian.

Great. Albus bloody Potter.

"Hi Manda." He smiled at her. "Atria." He muttered to me. I rolled my eyes.

"Did you know that Scor has a girlfriend?"

"What?"

"I'll take that as a no."

"Why didn't he tell any of us?"

"I don't know. But it's Jenny that Hufflepuff prefect."

"Oh great, she's a whiner." Albus muttered.

"I saw them walking along the lake together." I interrupted. "So I confronted him and she was a total bitch. She was looking down on me."

"Or looking down at you." Albus smirked as he bent his head down to stare at me. His eyes were the color of gillyweed and I think his hair got even darker and shaggier. He had certainly grown from the scrawny fourth year I had met.

Unlike James or Justin, Albus had extremely visible muscle. He wasn't tall and lean like the other two boys, he was bulkier but probably just as tall as James.

"Wow, a joke about how short I am. So original, never heard that before." I rolled my eyes.

Albus sneered at me.

"Just because you're a giant-"

"And I'm that big everywhere."

"Wow. Only took you thirty seconds to make an inappropriate joke."

"I wasn't joking."

"You are such a prat."

"Better than being an uptight squid."

"I have a date to Hogsmeade."

Ok, not my best comeback but it seemed to shut him up. "Who would ever ask _you_ on a date?" He barked.

"Justin, who happens to be Head Boy and is extremely attractive." I folded my arms and stuck my nose up. Albus scoffed and Amanda scooted back in her chair.

"Attractive? Sure if you like the mummy's boy look."

I shot up.

"As opposed to the wannabe bad boy?" I spat back. He flipped his black hair and I rolled my eyes. I was starting to get a headache from so much eye rolling.

"Ok, children, calm down." Amanda yanked me down after I started to stand. Albus was not going to get the best of me. "We're talking about Scorpius, remember?"

"He knows what he's doing." Albus shrugged. "Besides he might not care that she's a bitch to the highest degree."

"Of course he would care." Amanda said.

"He might not be interested in her personality is all I'm saying." Albus replied.

"So he just wants to shag her?" I said in disbelief. "Maybe that's all you want from girls, but Scor has a bit more class than you." Albus laughed loudly, earning him a mean look from Madam Pince, the librarian.

"He's a teenage boy and Jenna-"

"Jenny."

"Whatever, she's hot."

"You said she was whiny a second ago." I argued.

"It was more like a minute ago."

"Oh for the love of… it doesn't matter. What happened to she's whiny?" I whisper-shouted.

"If he's just looking to shag her, he's not actually going to spend time with her and bring her to meet us." Albus rolled his eyes. "Look Rose has left so why are we still in the library?"

"Oh, Attie what did James want?" Amanda asked.

"Dunno, never actually got to speak with him."

"Where'd you go?"

"You know Justin?"

"The Head Boy, yes I may have heard of him." She teased. Albus rolled his eyes.

"He asked me to Hogsmeade." I grinned.

"A bit late isn't it?" Albus smirked. "I mean, the day before? Sounds like you're a backup date." I leaned to smack his arm but he dodged and left laughing.

"Where did Rose go anyways?" I asked. "She's the one who made us study on a Friday night."

"It's five o'clock, hardly night." She told me. "And don't think I've forgotten about Justin, I want to know everything." She grabbed my arm in excitement.

"Who asks someone the day before Hogsmeade to go to Hogsmeade?" I blurted out.

"No, don't do that. You know Al was just messing with you." Amanda insisted. I banged my head on the table and buried my head in my arms. "He's just taking the micky out of you."

"I know." I mumbled.

"What was that?"

I lifted my head, "I know." And then put my head back down.

"I'm going with Eric."

My head shot up. "Oh? How's that going."

She shrugged. "It's going." She bit her lip.

"What's wrong?"

"Just thinking about what Albus said."

"I thought we agreed that everything Albus said was rubbish."

"No, we agreed that what he said was just to annoy you. But before that he talking about how boys are only interested in one thing." She said. "And I think Eric is only interested in that one thing."

"We are talking about sex right?"

"Shh." She looked around to make sure no one was looking. "Yes. I mean he's still charming but now I think it's just to get me in bed."

"So break up with him." I said simply.

She sighed. "Do I just tell him we're done?"

"Pretty much."

"Should I do it tomorrow at Hogsmeade?"

"No!" I said a bit louder than I meant to. "Do it tonight so you can enjoy Hogsmeade with friends. And it'll tell you if he actually liked you or not."

"How?"

"If he has another date…" I trailed off not needing to say anything more.

"Right. I'll just go do that."

"I can't believe she broke up with him." Rose told me.

"She really needed to break up with him. He was a loser and Amanda deserves better."

"And I can't believe Justin asked you to Hogsmeade." She continued as we made our way down to dinner.

"Why is that so unbelievable?"

"Because he's the Head Boy and you're…. you."

"Thank you, that clears up so much." I said sarcastically.

"And Scorpius got a girlfriend?" She made a face. "I can't believe he would like Jenny." We waited for a staircase to move to us.

"That's what I said. Albus thinks he just wants a shagging partner." I told her.

"That's not Scorpius." She said forcefully. "He wouldn't just use some girl like that."

"I know, but I can't think of any other reason he would be with her." I muttered. "I'm just happy Justin asked me out."

"How did you meet, anyways?"

"We just bumped into each other and he thought it was funny I didn't know he was the Head Boy." I shrugged. Rose rolled her eyes.

"How could you not know who the Head Boy is?"

"How could you expect me to know who the Head Boy is?" I countered.

"I guess I'll just hang out with Amanda tomorrow." She sighed.

"And Albus."

"Al has a date."

"What?" I shrieked. "Why would anyone want to spend their day with him?"

"Look, I know you guys have your rivalry thing going on, but a lot of other girls find him to be quite a catch." She said and I gagged. "You know, he says the same the about you."

"What?"

"He doesn't get why anyone would ask you out but lots of blokes find you fit."

"That's because I am fit."

"Don't hold back." She said sarcastically. "And speaking as an impartial person, he's fit."

"But his personality is so unattractive." I argued.

"Only around you." She laughed.

"Lucky me."

"You are so horrible to each other." She giggled.

"He started it." I growled.

"I'm not sure how we've all maintained our friendship with you two hating each other." Rose commented.

"Because you hold us together. You and Scor are like are parents, only now you're divorcing because daddy is cheating with the sexy, yet dumb mistress."

"You are ridiculous." She shook her head while laughing. "And she is not dumb, she's too manipulative to be a complete idiot."

"Who's Albus taking to Hogsmeade anyways?" Who would want to take him?

"Adriana."

"What?" I gasped. "Your roommate? She's way too good for him." I scoffed. Why hadn't she mentioned anything?

"Yea, they have muggle studies together."

"The one class I didn't take."

"You already know everything about Muggles." Rose giggled. "Why would you continue with it?"

"Well, I already know everything about history and potions and transfiguration and-"

"Alright, I get it." She snapped. "I can't wait to hear how your date goes." She muttered.


	9. The Beginning

The next morning I woke up around eight to get ready for my day in Hogsmeade. I was hoping that Justin would be okay with going to the joke shop and Honeydukes before we moved to the _romantic date _part. I wanted to get my goods before everyone else arrived and Hogsmeade got crowded.

Everyone else usually arrived around ten o'clock. I started for the Great Hall, dodging excited third years who would be going for the first time. I nearly ran McGonagall over in the process.

"Oh, Ms. Williams," She said, pressing a hand to her chest. Where was she is a rush to go?

"Sorry, professor. Just trying to get to Hogsmeade early." I grinned, but frowned at her grim look.

"Hogsmeade has been cancelled." She pressed her thin lips together.

"What?" I screeched. McGonagall pressed another hand to her ear.

"Ms. Williams, please I do not wish to alarm the other students." She hustled me into a classroom and shut the door. "I was going to come find you anyways."

"What's happened?" I asked eagerly.

She inhaled deeply. "There has been an escape from Azkaban."

My mouth wouldn't work properly. My mind went blank.

"I do not wish to worry you, but-"

"It was the death eaters, wasn't it?"

"There is no confirmation that they are death eaters. They are now believed to be extremists." I rolled my eyes at the schpeel Hermione had given Ron all those years ago. "So far there has been no attacks, but the wizarding world is on high alert."

"They should be!" I exclaimed. "What are we doing to find them? Is Uncle Harry leading the chase? When can I see them?"

"Ms. Williams, please!" She huffed. "Do breath between sentences. Now I must inform the rest of the school and perhaps you can tell the rest of your family of the incident. I imagine your parents will want to speak with you all." She said and then swept out of the classroom.

My legs refused to move for a few minutes and when they could, I almost tripped over a desk. Stumbling out of the classroom, trying to control my breathing, I went to look for Rose and Scorpius.

Instead I ran into Albus.

"Aw, did your date ditch you?" He smirked and then he saw my face. "Atria, what the bloody hell happened?"

I pretty much broke down. He gripped my shoulders and leaned down to look at my eyes as I collapsed against him, sobs racking through my body. "Tell me what the arsehole did to you!" He growled and I shook my head.

"That's not it!" I cried and pulled away from him. He stood up his full height and I had to tilt my head back to look at him. "Hogsmeade was cancelled because-"

"You're upset because Hogsmeade was cancelled." He said in disbelief.

"Would you shut up and let me finish?" I growled, some of the despair leaving me and being replaced with annoyance. "There was a breakout from Azkaban?"

Albus's face went white. "What? How is that possible?" He said.

"I don't know, but these are some of the most lethal and talented magical people and now they're loose!"

"When did this happen? How did you find out?"

"I was on my way to meet Justin," Albus sneered at his name, "And McGonagall told me Hogsmeade was cancelled and then pulled me in a classroom and told me why."

"And then you ran into me."

"I was going to look for Rose, Scorpius, basically all our friends." I explained. "I want to speak with you dad. We should write him a letter. And Mr. Malfoy." I added.

"Ok, we'll spread out and grab all the family we can. Meet me at the Room of Requirement in an hour." He told me in that stupid bossy tone of his.

"Fine."

Forty-five minutes later I had found Scorpius, Amanda, and Freddie. I told them to go to the Room of Requirement and wait for me there, giving them half an explanation of what was happening. I couldn't find Rose or James so I figured that Albus must have got to them first.

I arrived at the Room of Requirement and sure enough, James, Lily, Hugo and Rose were there with everyone else.

"Attie, what's happening?" Rose jumped up from where she had been sitting with Scorpius. The room was decorated as a meeting hall with tables and wooden chairs. "Albus said that death eaters escaped from Azkaban?"

"Yes." I said firmly. "McGonagall told me when I went to the Great Hall this morning," I carefully avoided mentioning Justin, "She said that Hogsmeade was cancelled and there are death eaters on the loose."

"All of them?" Freddie asked.

"I don't know." I sighed. "It hasn't been released to the public but I guess she figured I should know or our family should know. We are all potential targets."

"We should owl dad." James said.

"Absolutely." Rose nodded. "We need to figure out what's happening so that we can defend ourselves."

"Do you really think that they will come after us?" Amanda started twisting her hair, a nervous habit that she had.

"Probably not you." James shook his head. "Other than the fact you're our friend, you aren't really important." Amanda raised her eyebrows. "Not like that!" James quickly retracted his statement. "I just meant your parents aren't anyone important! Not that they aren't important, they just aren't ministry officials-"

"Just stop." She shook her head. "You're going to hurt yourself."

"But then Atria wouldn't be a target either, right?" Lily asked.

No one replied to that.

"It's different, Lils. Attie lives with us." James said softly. Not to mention they all assumed death eaters killed my family, and that day Ron, Harry, and Seamus found me, I had been waiting to get my vengeance on the people who murdered my parents.

"We need to find out what's happening." Rose said. "I'm going to write to my mum and dad, I suggest you do the same." She told us.

"Alright, so we'll talk at dinner?" Lily said.

"I'm a little offended that you want to get away from us so quickly." James said mockingly, pressing a hand to his chest in mock despair. She rolled her eyes.

"You'll survive." With that, Lily tossed flaming hair over her shoulder and left.

There was a bit of silence and then,

"Atria, don't you have a date to reschedule?"

Freaking Albus Potter.

"Attie, doesn't have date." James scoffed. I was glaring at Albus. Why in the bloody hell would Albus say that? Oh right, because he wants to make my life hell.

"Well, I've got somewhere to be." Albus grinned and left.

That arsehole.

"Atria, you had a date?" James glared at me.

"Yes," I said hotly, "and it's none of your business who I date. You date all the time." I snapped.

"No, I just snog girls." He argued.

"That's not any better!" I growled. "You can't be upset when I date, if you're snogging girls."

It barely registered with me that the others started to back out of the room.

"You know I love you!" James said.

"And I'm telling you that I will never be _in love_ with you."

James sighed. We were having the same argument we had many times before and it was wearing me out. "I know you don't like me like that, but you still shouldn't date."

"Why? And it's not like I've dated a bunch of blokes. Only Dimitri!" I wasn't a girl who dated a lot.

"You've dated other guys!" He exclaimed.

"No!" I screamed. "I've been on dates with two other guys, but I did not _date_ them!"

He rolled his eyes.

"And this is not the most pressing matter at the moment." I added. But at the very least it was a distraction from knowing that my mother probably escaped from Azkaban and would be out to get me.

It's not like she knows what been happening to me, but she could easily find out. I do live with the most famous family in the wizarding world. And then she could ruin my life.

"I know." He pouted. "Fine, date the prat, but don't come crying to me when he breaks your fragile little heart." He stopped off dramatically. I rolled my eyes at his obscene lack of dignity.

My mother's face drifted back into my mind.

"_Come on," She coaxed softly, "swish and lift." I tried one more time and a blue spray came from my wand. _

"_That's it darling!" She exclaimed throwing her arms around me. _

"_Isis!" My father's voice boomed. Mum pulled away from me and straightened her robes. "That's completely useless. Teach her something that will help the cause, not make her look like a water fae."_

"_She's eight years old." Mum protested. Dad came over and picked me up. _

"_She's a princess." _

_They liked to use me to hurt each other._

"_My daughter can do anything." My father said proudly. "Look at what she can already do. A metamorphmagus and a parseltongue. Have you ever seen more natural talent in any witch?" That was his way of saying mother wasn't gifted. _

That was the beginning of my mother becoming hard. She was never harsh with me, but she used to be, at the very least, polite with everyone. Then a few years later she started killing people who displeased her. I haven't seen my father since.

**Hello everyone! Sorry it's been a while. PLEASE REVIEW! -Alex**


	10. Surprise Birthday Present

**AHHH! So I made a huge mistake and forgot to put this chapter in before I put in the chapter who's the Genis! Thank you so much to the reviewer who pointed that out! So please enjoy this chapter! - Alex**

The next day, Rose and Scorpius were sitting in the Astronomy tower, trying to piece together what happened.

"Have you heard from your parents?" Scorpius asked. Rose shook her head. She had been quiet ever since she found out. "It'll be okay, you know." He told her.

"I just wish I knew what happened." Rose sighed in frustration. "If death eaters broke out of Azkaban, we should know. We could be in danger!"

"Our parents will tell us." He said confidently. "Besides, Hogwarts is the most secure place in Britain."

"Azkaban was supposed to be secure." Rose muttered, leaning against the stone wall of the tower. Scorpius was silent. He looked at the stars.

"I wonder which star is mine."

"You mean, the star you were named after?"

"Yep. Seems like something I should know." He shrugged.

"If you had children would you keep up the family tradition?" Rose asked.

"Probably." Scorpius laughed. "But I would find the most normal star name there is. Maybe Draco after my dad. That's not horrible."

"Scorpius isn't horrible." Rose protested, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"It's pretty awful."

"You could have done worse."

"I suppose. I'll have to look into that more… when I have children, that it."

"With Jenny?"

Scorpius choked. "Of course not."

"Then why are you dating her?"

He sighed and leaned back against the stone. They were sitting opposite to each other.

"Because I'm a sixteen year old boy and she's a nice kisser."

"Nice? Not hot?"

"She's hot as well." Scorpius argued.

"I can't believe you're one of those blokes!" Rose exclaimed, jumping up.

"I'm just trying to be normal! It's okay for me to be attracted to a girl!" He yelled back at her.

Scorpius stood up as well. Rose jabbed him in the chest with her finger, "You're using her."

"We're using each other!"

"Gross!"

"Grow up, we're sixteen years old, almost seventeen, it's okay for -"

"Oh Merlin." Rose gasped.

"What now?" Scorpius ran his hands through his pale hair.

"It's Atria's birthday!"

Scorpius's eye's widened.

"Shit, I completely forgot. With everything going on…"

"We all forgot." Rose scrambled to get her books off the floor. "Come on, it's only nine o'clock, I bet she's not even up yet."

"I was going to get her present yesterday!" Scorpius said as they both raced to the spiral staircase.

"Yesterday! You waited until the day before to get her a present." Rose berated him.

"This is the first trip since we've been back from break!" He said defensively.

"You could have gotten it before break!"

"That's when I get Christmas presents!"

"You could do both." Rose stated.

Scorpius rolled his eyes.

"Happy birthday!" Amanda said half-heartedly. After yesterday's news, it was a little difficult to be excited.

"Thanks!" I tried to smile.

We were sitting in our dorm room, I had just come out of the shower.

"Everything will be okay." She sat down on my bed, holding a small box. "Here, I'm glad I got your present before the break."

"Thank you." I said, sitting down with her. I pulled off the blue ribbon and opened the box. Inside was a charm bracelet with a bird and a heart charm.

"I figured you could add to it as the years go on. Sort of like a memory bank." She shrugged, looking sheepish.

"Thank you so much." I hugged her.

"The bird is because you like Care of Magical Creatures. It's from a muggle store so they didn't have hippogriffs or anything."

"It's lovely." I said clipping it around my wrist.

"Freddie's waiting downstairs. I don't think he got your present though…" She trailed off.

We wandered into the common room.

"Hey Attie." Freddie hugged me. "Sorry I don't have your present." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"That's what you get for waiting 'till the last minute." Amanda nudged him.

"It's alright," I told him. They looked at me in disbelief. "Honestly. My birthday isn't the most important thing right now."

"But it's your seventeenth and it was supposed to be special." Amanda whined.

"It still is." I insisted. "I'm going to go see Hagrid. I'm alright, really." My voice sounded weak even to me.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?" Amanda asked.

"Yes, mostly I just want to see Buckbeak."

Freddie cringed. He was not an animal person.

"Well, we'll see you around." He waved me off.

As I made my way through the castle, various people wished me a happy birthday and I made some notion of thanks.

I loved spending time with Hagrid. He always had some manner of interesting creature around.

I knocked on his door, but he didn't answer. I wandered around to the forest behind his house. I spotted Buckbeak lounging in the fenced clearing.

"Hey," I rubbed my hand up and down his beak. He nuzzled my hand and cawed. He craned his head looking for some type of meat. "I don't have any with me today." I muttered.

"Thought I'd find you here."

I jumped at Albus's voice. "What the bloody hell?" I gripped my chest.

"Did I scare you?" He chuckled, tossing his black hair.

"A little bit, yea." I glared at him. He stared at me for a moment.

"Your hair is brown."

"It does that."

"You're upset."

"Death eaters just broke out of Azkaban."

"It's your birthday."

"I thought that was last year."

"Funny thing birthdays, they're sort of an annual thing."

I sighed, leaning my head against Buckbeak's.

"Happy seventeenth birthday." Albus said.

"Thanks." I replied dryly.

"I got you something." He grinned. I couldn't help but feel this was a trick.

"You did not." I snorted.

He sighed. "No faith." He said, shaking his head. "You have to come back to the castle with me." He held out his hand. Buckbeak made a noise, but Albus didn't flinch.

I rolled my eyes and walked past him without taking his hand. He strode up behind me and threw his arms around my shoulders. I shook him off and nudged him in the side. He just laughed.

"You're mean."

"You're a flirt."

"Maybe I like you."

"I have a boyfriend."

"One almost-date doesn't make the twit your boyfriend." Albus scoffed, ruffling his hair. I wanted to yank his long, messy hair out of his head.

"His name is Justin." I hissed as he pulled me along. I tried to keep up with his long strides as we went up to the castle.

"He's short."

"No, you're just freakishly tall."

"And devilishly handsome."

"Devilish? Yes. Handsome? Eh." I shrugged and he laughed.

"The real question is what does he see in you." He told me. I tried to punch his face, but he easily dodged. "That could've hurt." He pouted.

"You'll survive."

"Maybe I shouldn't give you your present."

"I doubt you even have one." I sneered.

"It's hurts that you doubt me," He sighed as we entered the castle. He went in a random direction and I followed, obediently.

"Can you tell me where we're going, now?" I asked.

"Where do you think we're going?"

We were in a random corridor.

"Room of Requirement?"

"Ding ding." He smirked. "It's the only place I could think of where no one would be."

"Someone could accidentally stumble across it."

He paused for a second. "Nah," He said eventually. Blokes, they never planned ahead. The wall changed to a door and we entered the Room of Requirement.

"Alright, close your eyes." He said, turning me around the face the door we just walked in.

"This seems-"

"Just close your eyes." He groaned. I rolled my eyes, but closed them.

I heard him shuffle. And then something brushed across my lips.

Haha, thank you so much to whoever caught that mistake! And this was an important one as well. Please keep reviewing!


	11. Who's the Genius

**Okay so right now I'm trying to fix a mistake in the last chapter (as in I didn't put the last chapter in). It should be good after I switch somethings around.**

My breath caught in my throat and I pounced backwards, my eyes flying open.

"What the bloody-" I started to scream.

And then I saw Albus freaking Potter holding in laughter, holding a calico kitten… that he had been holding out and whose nose had brushed my lips.

"You got me a kitten?" I was in a state of shock.

"Yep." He grinned, his arms still outstretched with the kitty. "Are you going to take her?" He asked as I stared stupidly.

I took her from him and cuddled the little puff ball to my chest. "It's a girl?"

He nodded. "What are you going to name her?"

"Uh… I don't know yet. How did you get her?"

"Well, a friend of dad's from work was giving away a litter that his cat just had and so Lily wanted one, but mum said she's not mature enough to take care of a living creature. So then I suggested that we give one to you for your birthday and then we could still have a cat around the house, but Lily's not in charge of it." He shrugged.

"So it's a present from the family?" That made more sense.

"Yes, but I wanted to give it to you."

"So you could mess with me?"

"I can't believe you thought I would kiss you." He smirked.

"So it's more believable that you would lure me into the Room of Requirement, have me close my eyes, and shove a kitten in my face then kiss me?" I hissed.

"Yes." He nodded. If I wasn't holding the kitty I would have slapped him. Or cursed him.

Instead I smirked and said, "I have to go find my boyfriend." And I left him there, feeling his glare on my back.

I found Justin an hour later, after wasting an hour roaming the castle thinking about Albus kissing me… or rather, fake kissing me. The little kitty was still in my arms when I walked up to Justin.

"Hi." I tried to smile, but fell short.

"Hey, I looked for you yesterday." He wasn't smiling either.

"Sorry, it got crazy." I said. This was the slowest conversation ever.

"I didn't know you had a cat." He gave a small smile to the fuzzball in my arms.

That made me grin. "It was a birthday present from… the Potters." I stumbled over their name.

"What's his name?"

"It's a girl." I said playfully. "I haven't decided on a name yet. I only got her an hour ago."

"I wasn't able to get you a birthday present." He looked ashamed.

"You weren't the only one. Besides you didn't have to and it's not like you had another chance to get me a present. You only asked me out a few days ago. My family has no excuse though, they had all break." I teased and he laughed.

"Thanks. So when do you want to make up our date?"

"I'm not sure when the next Hogsmeade will be with everything that's going on." My mood fell again.

"Can you believe death eaters broke out of Azkaban?" He scoffed like it was something in the newspapers that was remote. Like he was watching it happen to someone else.

I could believe it. I should've expected it. Of course, my mother still had connections on the outside and of course she would break out. The only thing that surprised me was that it hadn't happened sooner.

"No." I responded dryly, rubbing my kitten behind its ear.

"I didn't even know people still believed in that." He remarked. "I wonder if they had dark marks." I wanted to gag. I thought about the ugly blackish tattoo on my forearm and almost did.

"Maybe."

"Do you want to grab lunch? We could make a picnic out of it and have our first date." Justin took my hand. I forced my mother out of my mind and willed my hair to go back to being a bright mix of blue and purple.

"That would be wonderful."

"Al, have you seen Attie?" Amanda asked, swinging her leg over the bench at the Gryffindor table.

"Not since this morning." Albus said around a mouthful of chips.

"Where did you see her?"

"Room of Requirement, but she left."

"What did you do?" Amanda asked suspiciously.

"I gave her a birthday present." He rolled his eyes.

"What?"

"Well, seeing as today is her birthday, her seventeenth in fact, I gave her a present." He said smugly.

"You gave her a present, or your parents did?"

"It was a joint present."

Amanda smirked. James ran into the Great Hall like his feet were on fire. He looked around frantically and then spotted Al and Amanda. He ran to the Gryffindor table.

"Have you seen Atria?"

"Not recently." Amanda replied.

"I need to give her a present." James swept his hair to one side.

"I thought you were going to buy her present yesterday?"

James was silent and pressed his lips together.

"Did you go to Hogsmeade?" Amanda gasped.

"Shh." James hushed her. He looked around. "Let's get out of here."

"But-"

"Let's just go." Al told Amanda.

"I can't believe you went into town." Amanda hissed once they exited the Great Hall.

"There are death eaters on the loose." Al agreed.

"Didn't Aunt Mione say they were 'magical extremists'?" James argued.

"That was before it was confirmed they had dark marks." Amanda said dryly. They began walking outside, aiming for the Black Lake.

"Oh."

"What did you get her?"

"You'll see." James told his brother.

"Lily and I got her a kitten."

"What?"

"Al don't tease him." Amanda scolded.

"I'm not." Albus said, grinning slightly.

"I think I found her." Amanda peered past Al and James. Atria was sitting on a blanket with a blonde haired boy with the Head Boy crest on his robes.

"That's Justin?" James sneered.

"How is it that you have no idea who the Head Boy is, even though you've been in school with him for seven years?" Amanda asked.

"He's so short, I probably just never saw him all the way down there." James said and Al grinned. Amanda punched his shoulder.

"He's not that short. Besides Attie's short. They're perfect for each other." Amanda said and waited for James's reaction. He only scoffed.

"We'll see. If he plans on dating her he has to get through us."

"Who's 'us'?" Amanda asked.

"All the men in our family, of course." James said as if the question was ridiculous.

"Of course."

"He's blonde." Al remarked.

"Some people like light hair."

"I think we should go introduce ourselves." James tried to strut over to them, but Amanda pulled him back.

"James, no."

"But-"

"It's her birthday and it hasn't been a pleasant one." Amanda pleaded with him, making him look into her eyes. "Just let her have one date without you barging in. Speak with them tomorrow. It would mean the world to her." James avoided looking directly into her eyes, knowing he would cave.

"Fine. But I'm talking to him tomorrow."

"Do what you will tomorrow."

Albus watched his brother tilt his head back and fold his arms, Amanda standing in front of him, rolling her eyes.

"You got her a kitten?"

"Yea-"

"Amanda!"

They all turned around to see Lily flying towards them. "New, gorgeous, Italian…" Lily gasped for breaths.

"What?"

"There is a new student!" She grabbed Amanda by the arms. "He's the most gorgeous thing I have ever laid my eyes on." Lily began to pull Amanda back towards the castle.

"Hey!" Albus protested.

"You're my brother." Lily made a disgusted face.

"Right." James nodded and turned to Amanda. "You'll to go check out the foreign bloke and then report back to us on how much better looking we are than him."

"And if he's nicer to look at?" Amanda teased. James huffed.

"As if."

Lily and Amanda giggled. "Come on. He and Rosie are talking down by Hagrid's hut."

"Traitor cousins." James muttered.

As soon as they were out of earshot of the boys, Amanda started speaking.

"Is Rose actually talking to this boy? Is he even real or were you just messing with your brothers?" Amanda asked.

"No, he's real." Lily said cheerfully. "And he's beautiful. Although Rose has been stealing all his attention. I haven't gotten to speak with him at all."

"And you just happened to find me with James and Al?"

"I may have seen you talking with them and thought it was the perfect opportunity to mess with them." Lily grinned evilly.

"So why is he transferring in the middle of the year?"

"I don't know. I didn't get to speak with him."

And as they approach Hagrid's hut, Amanda could see why Lily was so adamant to get her to look. He was tall, although not as tall as Al, with dark and wavy hair. His skin was a tanned olive color and his features were strong and broad, not as defined as the boys in Lily's family however.

"Wow." Amanda said.

"And he has the most compelling brown eyes you will ever see."

"Hey Amanda." Rose greeted.

"Hello." The boy said with a slight accent.

"Sal, this is my friend my friend Amanda." Rose motioned between the two.

"My name is Salvatore Aros. I arrived this morning." He smiled, showing his brilliant white teeth.

"Why are you transferring mid-year?" Amanda asked.

"I was home-schooled-"

"I didn't know you had that option." Rose said curiously.

"My parents got special permission to train me at home. I had visits once a month from a ministry employee to discern how my learning was advancing. But with the escape of the death eaters, the ministry is insisting that all those still of schooling age actually attend a school. So I was brought here to continue my training." Sal explained.

"So will you be behind, then?" Lily asked.

Sal chuckled. "No. Because my home is school, I was always learning. I am probably a bit ahead of the other students in sixth year because I was schooled year-round." He said but not arrogantly.

"Rose is top of the class." Amanda nudged her proudly. Rose blushed.

"I am not. Attie is."

"Atria doesn't count." Amanda waved her off.

"Who is this?" Sal asked.

"A friend of ours. She was also home-schooled until fourth year. Her specialty is potions and charms. She's not that great at Defense Against the Darks though." Amanda said.

"She's taking so many N.E.W.T.'s. Although I think she decided to split them between this year and next, so she's only taking six this year and five next year." Rose said, twirling her hair around her finger. Amanda and Lily did not miss this sign of flirtation. "Where is she? You would really get along with her." She told Sal.

"She's on a date with our esteemed Head Boy." Amanda said slyly.

"Did you give her your present?" Rose asked. "The boys were planning on shopping yesterday. They should really plan ahead."

"I don't think anyone planned for yesterday's events." Sal said softly.

"Not just yesterday. In general, they should expect things to go wrong at the last minute."

"It's alright, Rosie." Lily said cheerfully. "Besides she Albus was supposed to give her a kitten today."

"What?"

"Someone's cat had a litter and I thought it would be a good idea to give one to Attie. So Albus and I convinced our parents to get her one as a present." Lily explained, leaving out the part where she wanted to kitten, but her parents didn't think she was responsible enough.

"And I gave her a charm bracelet. She'll have your present." Amanda told Rose. "And I convinced James not to barge in on her date. We can celebrate her birthday this whole week. Freddie and James will figure out a way to get firewhiskey and we can have a party!"

"Rose," Lily addressed her cousin, "You and Amanda should go find the boys and plan something. I'll keep Sal company." Rose rolled her eyes and turned to Sal.

"She's right though. We do have things to catch up on. We'll see you in the Great Hall for dinner." Rose said as she and Amanda began walking away.

"He's watching you." Amanda muttered as she glanced back to find Sal staring at Rose's retreating figure.

Rose blushed. "Let's go find Scorpius. I hope he's not with Jenny."

"I didn't think you minded her."

"She acts like she's Head Girl. I don't dislike her, I just don't think she's good for Scorpius."

"She'll be leaving so we won't have to deal with her for long."

"Still another four months before the seventh years leave. And I doubt they'll even last that long." Rose muttered.

"Sal's nice looking." Amanda said after a few moments.

"He has nice... " Rose thought about it. "Everything."

Amanda laughed. "Are you going to snog him or shall I?"

"You can have him." Rose said quickly. "I'm not ready to date yet."

"You're almost seventeen."

"I hardly know anything about him. I think if I were to date him, we would have to be friends first. Not that we will date!"

"But then he might think he's stuck in the friend zone."

"Or he might think I'm sensible for not jumping into a relationship with someone that I barely know. We should go to the Room of Requirement, I bet that's where James and Freddie are planning the party." Rose said, ending the discussion. Amanda sighed.

"Alright. We really shouldn't leave them alone together, especially when planning is involved. So many things could go wrong."


	12. Lashing Out

**Okay so I added another chapter that I forgot so if you haven't read the chapter "Surprise Birthday Present" please do.**

"Can anyone tell me the properties of Veritaserum?" Professor Gullin asked, glancing around the classroom. Both Rose and Sal's hands flew into the air. They smiled at each other tentatively, motioning for other to speak. Finally, Rose answered.

I dozed off somewhere between kneezle whiskers and mandrake leaves as Rose went on listing ingredients. It had been two weeks since Sal arrived, two weeks since the death eater eater escaped. Life seemed to continue on as normal. Harry and Hermione had come to visit us the day after my birthday to make sure we were alright.

"Attie, if you feel anything is off, send for us immediately." Hermione told me as we hugged.

In DADA, we were learning about less theoretical magic and more practical magic in case there is an attack. At dinner, I could see the teachers look around carefully, inspecting the castle for anything out of place.

"What are you thinking about?" Amanda whispered to me.

"Nothing much." I whispered back. "Mostly I'm trying not to think."

"I meant to ask you," She said, "What happened at lunch yesterday?"

"Albus thought it would be hilarious to put something in my drink while I wasn't looking. I simply repaid the favor with a particularly nasty charm."

"What did he put in your drink?"

"I'm not sure. Some thing with frog mucus extract I believe, seeing as how I broke out in green patchy rashes." I rolled up my sleeve. "I was able to get most of it off, but there's still a bit left on this arm and my stomach."

"That look horrible." Amanda gasped. She studied it. "What are the black spots?"

"What?" I looked down and in my daydreams, some of my dark mark began to show. "Oh probably just another component of the rash."

"You should probably go to the hospital wing."

"Don't be silly, I have just the thing to fix it. Or I will once I ask Gullin if I could borrow some things from the store cupboard." The bell rang a few minutes later. "I'll catch up with you after next class."

"Professor, I wondered if I might borrow some gillyweed and mandrake root if you have any." He was looking around at some of the students desks, picking up random things they had left behind.

"What on earth do you need those things for?" He asked wandering back to his desk.

"Well, I have a rash."

"You should go see Madam Pomfrey." He said.

"I would but she's still going to need to make a paste to put on it. It's from frog mucus extract so I thought gillyweed and some mandrake mix with a bit of dittany would do. No point in going to the Hospital Wing if I can fix myself."

"Very well then. Do you need any help?"

"No thank you, I'll just get the supplies and then stay here and make it. I'll come back after class and stay for lunch if you don't mind."

"Long as you clean up."

"Yes, Professor."

I headed down to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. All seven of us gathered in the pumpkin grove next to his house. Buckbeak wasn't around, although I could still see some of the others looking for him.

It was a relatively uneventful class. Hagrid didn't have anything new to show us, so we learned about some dragons.

After class was over, Hagrid pulled me aside.

"I've just been talkin' with Charlie Weasley an' he asked me if I had any students who would be in'erested in workin' with 'im over the summer."

Before he could get another word in I shouted, "Of course I would. I can't believe he didn't tell me at Christmas! And I could work with dragons? Tell him that I absolutely want to come. Or I could tell him myself! I'll go send a letter to him." I started to run away as Hagrid swallowed everything I said. He sputtered to say something but I was already gone.

The first person I ran into was Hugo.

I grabbed him by the collar and shook him a little. "Guess what?"

"You want to kill me so you're trying to break my neck?"

I sniffed and released his collar. "No, I'm going to spend the summer with Charlie!"

"Uncle Charlie?"

"Of course, who else?" I gushed. I hoped I would get to hold a baby dragon!

"That should be exciting." Hugo smiled.

"You look so unimpressed, but his is a dream come true. I would have to deal with Albus and I can study dragons!"

"What about Rose? You two usually spend the summer together."

"I have no doubt Rosie will have other company to keep her busy." I laughed.

Hugo gave me a look. "Are you talking about the new boy."

"His name is Sal and they spend a lot of time together. I think he would do something if Rosie wasn't so shy."

"You can't encourage her! She's not allowed to date until she's twenty-five." Hugo said, sounding just like a brother.

"Did you learn that from James?"

"Well, Justin is Head Boy, you can't expect James to approve."

"Rose will probably be Head Girl and Scorpius will probably be Head Boy next year. James needs to get over himself."

"Scorpius doesn't like Sam either."

"Sal." I corrected. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell everyone my news. I'm going to go find someone else to harp on." We parted ways.

I couldn't find anyone else before I had to go back down to the dungeons to make the potion to clear up my skin. I put my hair up as I was walking into the potions room and got a smock and gloves.

The ingredients were laid out on one of the tables along with a cauldron. Once I had prepared the brew, I had to let it sit for 12 hours. I left to go find Rose and Amanda. Some of my excitement had dimmed, as in I was no longer bouncing off the walls, but I was still grinning madly.

I found Amanda in the Great Hall with Freddie, sitting at the Slytherin table. I didn't see Rose at the Gryffindor table, only Albus and a few of his friends.

"Guess what?"

Amanda looked at me. "What?"

"I'm going to work with Charlie Weasley over the summer!"

"Why?" Freddie asked.

"Because he asked and I love dragons. I hope I get to work with baby dragons, they are so cute, and what if I see a Hungarian Horntail!" I squealed. Some people looked at me with funny looks.

"Um, run?" Amanda suggested.

"Dragons are amazing creatures." I told her. "You aunt and uncle rode one." I said to Freddie.

"That was in a time when they were probably going to die anyways."

"Freddie!" Amanda slapped the backside of his head.

"Well, there was an all-powerful dark wizard after them! They're chances were not good."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "You're as bad as James."

"I resent that!" Freddie said indignantly. "I am nothing like that obnoxious, arrogant git."

"No, not alike at all."

"I'm going to go tell everyone else." I said, leaving them to their banter.

I ended up just going back to my room. Jinx was waiting for me on my bed. She purred softly after I scratched behind her ears. It had been a difficult decision choosing a name for her but I eventually decided Jinx suited her playful nature.

The Slytherin common room and dorms had been empty when I arrived so I sat and did some reading. Eventually I went back to the common room and found a couple in the fourth year snogging.

I should have grabbed something for the kitchen but by the time I made my way downstairs the bell rang for class. Well, at least I would see Rose and Scorpius so I could tell them about this summer. I was a bit worried about Rose's reaction seeing as we hadn't spent a summer apart since we met.

"Where were you at lunch?" She asked as we sat down. Amanda sat next to Scorpius and _Potter _sat with some of his Gryffindor friends.

"I had to do something for potions." I told her. "But anyways, I've got a summer job."

"What?" She raised an eyebrow. I envied her ability to do the cool one-eyebrow thing. "Where?"

"With your Uncle Charlie." I whispered as class began. "It's over the summer. I have to owl Ginny and Harry to make sure it's alright with them, but I can't see why it wouldn't be."

"They might not want you gone for a summer with everything that's happening."

"I can take care of myself and any death eaters that come my way." I said shortly. "Besides, I the main reason they would come after me is because I live with Harry Potter. It might be good for me to get away for a while."

"What am I to do?"

"Scorpius and Amanda will still be around."

"Amanda lives in Scotland."

"She can floo over. And Scorpius will be around." I felt like she was purposely ignoring him.

"He'll be too busy with Jenny."

"I thought I was the one who hated Jenny?"

"She's been getting Scorpius to avoid me and he's just letting it happen. We haven't really spoken in a week." Rose looked down at her hands and I saw Scorpius glance at her while Amanda was talking.

"You were studying together yesterday." I pointed out.

"We barely said two words while we were together. And then Jenny came and I was forced to leave."

"Why did you have to leave?" I hissed.

"Because they started snogging. She practically climbed into his lap." Rose sneered. "I wasn't just going to stay and watch them."

"I would have. If they were going to start snogging in the middle of our study session, I would have stared them down until they felt forced to leave." I growled. Amanda gave me a look from across the classroom.

"We can't all be as obnoxious as you."

"They were the ones snogging in the middle of the library and I'm obnoxious?" I scoffed.

"Ms. Williams, is there something you would like to share with the rest of us?" Professor Bones asked.

The class turned to look at me and Rose blushed.

"Yes, I was wondering if the class would think it appropriate for a person to interrupt a study session between friends so that she could snog with one of them in the middle of the library. Furthermore, not even have the decency to go find a broom closet." I said looking directly at Bones and glancing at Scorpius who was glaring at me.

"Ms. Williams, I would ask you to leave your personal problems outside of my classroom." Professor Bones glared at me. "Unless you want a detention?"

"I don't think I should get a detention. You invited me to share something with the class so I did. I hardly think I should be punished for your resolution in your invitation. Or rather lack of resolution." Rose gasped at my harsh words.

"Detention. Tonight at eight o'clock. Twenty points from Slytherin. And I shall be speaking with the headmistress. Meet me at her office tonight." Bones said and resumed teaching. Scorpius was shaking his head and Albus was trying not to laugh.

"Why did you do that?" Rose growled quietly at me.

"Because he deserved it."

"But Bones didn't deserve your wrath!"

"My wrath?" I laughed silently. "She shouldn't have asked if she couldn't handle the answer." Rose fumed silently. "Sometimes I think you're too pure for me."

"Or is it that I'm not risky enough for you."

"Either." I settled, not wanting to start a fight. "Although I have a feeling I'm going to regret it."

"Scorpius looks furious."

"Well, I hardly care about his feelings, seeing as he has no regard for your's or mine." I stated stubbornly.

"Maybe I'm blowing the whole thing out of proportion." Rose bit her lip nervously.

"Oh no, I've finally got you to come to the dark side, you can't go back to the jedi now."

Rose looked at me and giggled. "You're such a muggle nerd."

"Still, you've finally admitted that your feelings are not always light and pleasant, you cannot go back now."

"Fine."

We finished the rest of class and as we were walking out Scorpius caught up with us.

"I'll see you at dinner." Rose muttered and walked away. Scorpius looked after her looking like he wanted to say something.

"What was the point of that?" Scorpius berated me. "Other than getting a detention."

"To point out what an arse you're being!"

"I have a girlfriend. That doesn't make me an arse." He argued.

"No but ignoring your friends does. And she's horrible to all of us."

"You're intimidating!"

"Me?" I gasped.

"All of you!"

"So it's our fault?"

"Mates, maybe not in the middle of the corridor," Albus suggested and pulled us into an empty classroom.

"Al, tell Attie and Rose that I'm sorry if they feel like I've been ignoring them." Scorpius said.

"Tell Scorpius that he can say sorry to our faces."

"Don't you think you're overreacting a little?" Albus said to me.

I sputtered. "Overreacting?! No, we're not."

"Are you jealous?" Albus smirked.

"What? Me? Jealous of Jackie?"

"Jenny."

"Whatever. I can't believe you're going to let a girl ruin our friendship." I growled at Scorpius.

"I'm not trying to ruin our friendship! It's you and Rose who are letting this get in the way. Look, it's not serious with Jenny, but I like having a girlfriend and I think you guys should get used to not being the only women in my life." Scorpius said firmly.

"Do you hear how arrogant you sound?"

"Do you hear how jealous you sound?"

"You're family!" I screamed. "I don't like you like that!" Scorpius scoffed and walked out.

Albus looked like he was trying not to grin.

"So you approve?"

He shrugged. "I think every bloke needs to have that one fling. I wouldn't spend hours hanging out with her, but she's cute and wants to snog. When you're a seventeen year old boy that's all you care."

"So you would ditch your friends because of girl?"

"He's not ditching you or Rose. He's just not spending every waking hour tending to your needs like he used to." Albus leaned back against a desk, brushing his hair aside. "But you shouldn't take your frustration on poor old Bones." I followed his lead and sat on a desk.

"I know, but-"

"Now you have detention."

"Yes, but at least Scorpius will be thinking about Rose."

"Rose?"

"Yes. She was the one frustrated and I guess I fed off of that." I sighed.

"But do you have a right to do anything? You run off with Justin all the time."

"I actually like Justin, I'm not just using him for a snog." I pointed out.

"He's Head Boy and you just proved that you do not like authority." Albus rolled his eyes.

"I don't like Scorpius." I muttered.

"And you just had to punish Professor Bones for that."

"Maybe."

"I have to get to Muggle Studies." Albus stood up. "What class do you have?"

"Nothing, I'm free for the rest of the day."

"Except for detention." He grinned and ducked out the door as I threw a book at him.

"Stupid Albus Potter." I grumbled.

I found Justin a little while later. "I heard you got a detention." He said immediately.

"It wouldn't be my first one." I muttered.

"I thought we could go for a walk later but I guess that's not happening." He threw his arm around my shoulder. I loved how we fit perfectly together.

"Well, that wouldn't have happened anyways." He raised an eyebrow. "Slytherin has Quidditch practice on Mondays and Thursdays." I reminded him.

"Right. From six to nine."

"Yea."

"Three hours of quidditch practice?"

"Games can go for hours so we have to be in shape."

"I can't imagine sitting on a broom for three hours."

"Which is why you don't play Quidditch." I laughed and he squeezed me close to his side. "I guess I should tell Scorpius that I have to leave practice early for my detention." I said my mood dropping at the mention of Scorpius.

"When is your next game?"

"In two weeks against Ravenclaw." Did he really not know the Quidditch schedule? I thought Head Boy had to be privy to everything happening in the school.

"Isn't that when the Valentine's Day Hogsmeade trip is?"

"Probably." I shrugged. "We'll go into Hogsmeade, come back around lunch for the game and then go back for dinner."

"Assuming that we're going together."

"Of course we are." I looked at him and he smiled down at me.

We talked for another hour until it was dinner time.

Scorpius was at the table with Amanda and Freddie.

"I'll have to leave practice early." I told him as I sat down.

"I know." He said around a mouthful of food. "I remember."

"I can't believe you said that to Bones." Amanda said.

"You all are such goodie goodies." I glared at her.

Freddie coughed. "Except for you." I told him.

"It's fine. I just hope you can understand." Scorpius said. He was trying to use reverse psychology on me.

"I'm less upset than I saw before." I held my chin up, not looking at him. "But I still think you should apologize to Rose. Not for having a girlfriend, but for interrupting a study session to snog with her."

Scorpius opened his mouth but then closed it.

"You could have at least found a closet. It's rude to snog someone in front of another person." I added. Scorpius sighed.

"I'll apologize, alright?" He conceded and proceeded to stand up. He went over to the Gryffindor table where Rose and Albus were sitting.

"James is coming over." Freddie grinned wolfishly.

A second later he sat down next to me and Amanda. Amanda elbowed him as he squeezed between us and made her knock over some food.

"Sorry." James said unapologetically.

"Right." She hissed.

"Why is your hair red?" James asked.

"I had a… disagreement with Scorpius." I told him.

"And now she has a detention." Amanda said.

James looked at me. "What?" I snapped. He held up his hands and leaned back against Amanda. She shoved him off of her.

The banter continued throughout dinner until it was time for Quidditch practice. Scorpius was less upset with me after talking with Rose at dinner. Quidditch practice was grueling as usual and I was happy that I got to leave early, even if it was for a detention.

Ten minutes before eight I was standing in front of the Headmistresses office waiting for someone to let me in. A few minutes later Bones came down and gave me a disapproving look. She nodded to me and I walked up the stairs around the eagle statue.

McGonagall was waiting behind another door. I had been in the Headmistress's office several times before and it was how I remembered. The portraits of past Headmasters hanging on the wall, a short staircase to the side of her desk.

"Ms. Williams." She said stiffly.

"Professor."

"Professor Bones tells me that you were rude and indignant towards her in class."

"I didn't mean for it to be directed at her. I was angry with a friend and sort of took it out on her." I explained. McGonagall sighed softly.

"I trust you understand why you were given a detention."

"Yes, professor."

"Is there something you would like to talk about?" She asked, staring at me with a hard look.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you lashing out because of the recent attacks?"

"By the death eaters?" I clarified. "No… I just," I wasn't sure why I was so angry over something so small.

"Sometimes we must come terms with the past before we can appreciate the present and look to the future." She said wisely.

"I think I'll be okay."

She looked doubtful but said nothing more on the subject. "You will be serving your detention helping Madam Pince shelve books in the library." I nodded in a detached way.

And that's how I spend the rest of my night. I was amazed at how many people checked out books from the library. I never new people other than Rose and Scorpius actually went to the library. James and I always joked about it being a lifeless place that would steal your soul… like Azkaban.

"You are free Ms. Williams." Madam Pince told me four hours later when the clock struck midnight. I headed back to the Slytherin common room half dead.

"Codswallop." I muttered to the wall and I was let in. I collapsed onto my bed when I got to the sixth year girls dormitory. I noticed that Cerise's bed was empty, but didn't think on it any longer.


	13. The Boys Make A List

**Hello people! Sorry it took a little while longer to update, my internet router crashed! This chapter is a long one, but it was fun to write! I hope you enjoy and review. -Alex**

**P.s. I'm in Spain so it might be a few weeks until I update again. I'm still writing but I can't copy the story so that you can read it. **

**Disclaimer: All J.K. Rowling **

We won our match against Ravenclaw but not by much. We had lost two chaser and a beater this year. Ravenclaw was winning by more than fifty points until I caught the snitch. Scorpius had been relieved but also disappointed, he was upset that we were were down by so many points in the first place.

Rose tried to find him after the game, but he went off with Jenny.

Justin and I went back to Hogsmeade for dinner and we met up with Amanda at Honeydukes, who was spying on Rose and Sal. They weren't on a date, they had just wanted to grab something to eat as friends.

A few weeks later we were sitting in the Gryffindor common room talking about Easter Break. Sal joined us, even though he was in Ravenclaw and not coming to the Burrow for Easter. Amanda was there, although this year she couldn't come because her parents decided to vacation in Italy.

"I wish I could go to Italy." James muttered.

"It is beautiful." Sal said.

"I can't wait to see Grandma Weasley!" I said excitedly.

"Same!" Lily nudged my shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked Sal to the side of the rest of the conversation. Only Lily and I could hear them. But Scorpius was watching them closely.

"I'm staying here." He whispered.

"Why?"

"My parents think it'll be safer." He shrugged.

"Oh."

They really had to work on their conversational skills. Lily grinned at me, probably thinking the same thing.

"Scorpius what are you doing?" Hugo asked.

"I'll go back to the Manor. My grandfather and grandmother are coming." He said glumly.

I paused. "They've never visited before." I choked out.

"No, they only visit every five years or so." He said quietly. "And it's my seventeenth birthday this year so they decided to visit. They should only be here for a couple of days, so I'll try to escape after they leave."

"We should meet in Diagon Alley." Freddie said eagerly.

"I have to talk to Charlie about Romania." I said, following Freddie in diverging the conversation from Scorpius.

"I can't believe you're going away for the summer." James grumbled and Amanda hit him.

I looked at Rose and she smiled. "It'll be awesome and Amanda and I are of age now so we can floor or apparate to see each other."

"Maybe you could come visit me."

"Mum and dad said they weren't sure if you should go." Albus said, throwing a wrench into everything.

"I'll be working with dragons." I said dryly. "If I can handle that I can handle a few death eaters." No one said anything about that.

"Will you leave as soon as school is out?" Amanda asked.

"Probably." I shrugged.

"I don't know what I'll do without you." Rose said to me.

"I'm sure you'll find something." Lily and I giggled as she blushed and glanced at Sal. Scorpius rolled his eyes and Hugo raised his eyebrows.

"Don't worry, sis, I'll hang out with you all summer." He said, looking pointedly at Sal.

"Thanks." Rose responded, giving her brother a dark glare.

"Dad will be upset you're ditching him for Uncle Charlie." Freddie told me. "He'll miss having you work at the shop."

I grinned. "You mean his pockets will miss the money my potions bring in."

"Possibly."

"Maybe I'll ask Uncle George for a job." Rose said. "I could use a summer job."

"Summer's such a long ways away." Scorpius groaned. Everyone murmured in agreement. "I can't think about summer or else I'll have to start thinking about N.E.W.T.'s."

"I hope everyone's been studying." Rose said excitedly.

"Of course we haven't. It's not even Easter break yet." I reminded her.

"But these are critical to finding a job after school. N.E.W.T.'s are what really count." She reprimanded me firmly.

"What are you going to do after high school?" Amanda asked James.

"Probably play quidditch for a while and then who knows. Maybe I'll manage a team. I have a few tryouts over break so I should know when we come back to school." He said, for once looking a bit nervous.

"Who are you trying out for?" I asked, bouncing on the couch.

"And why didn't we know?" Albus motioned to him and Lily.

"I didn't want to jinx anything. And Puddlemere and the Harpies are giving me tryouts. There was a team in Germany that offered me one but I didn't want to go so far away."

"Does mum know?" Lily asked. James shook his head. "Dad?" Another shake.

"This is exciting." Amanda squealed.

"I think people put way too much stock in quidditch." Rose said and Scorpius rolled his eyes. Several Gryffindors looked at the group of students with confusion, whispering about why Slytherins were in their common room.

"Rose, we all think you put too much stock in school." Freddie said seriously.

Rose sputtered. "What? How… that's not possible." She said angrily.

"We'll just agree to disagree." James said solemnly. Rose's eyes bugged out in a rather funny way and Sal looked sympathetically at her. At this point one of Rose's Gryffindor friends walked up to her. I couldn't remember the girl's name, but I had seen her with Rose and Albus a few times.

"Rose, are you coming?" She asked.

"Where are you going?" Hugo asked suspiciously. Rose sighed.

"Can I meet you guys there?"

"Sure. Your other friends can come too. We need all the opinions we can get, especially from Slytherin." The girl looked at me and Amanda. I glared at the girl, but she just played with her boring brown hair. What does us being in Slytherin have to do with anything?

Before I could tell the girl off, Amanda asked what it was we were being invited to do.

"Can't say," The girl said, looking at a few of the boys. "See you later." She looked pointedly at Rose.

"Who the bloody hell was that and why did it seem like she was preparing the sacrifice of a virgin on the altar of Satan?" James said loudly after the brown haired girl had left. Rose laughed.

"Nothing, but I promise that's not what's happening." Rose assured James and then added, "If nothing else you're not a virgin." She said wickedly. "Do you want to come?" She asked Amanda and I.

"What is it?" I asked, still slightly suspicious.

"I can't tell you yet. But I promise you'll like it."

"I want to come." Lily whined, flipping her hair. Like brother, like sister.

Rose looked at me and Amanda. "Don't look at us, we don't know what's happening." Amanda said indignantly and Rose sighed again.

"Sure why not?" She told Lily, who grinned devilishly. Rose looked at James, "Don't follow us or I'll hex your man-bits." James lifted his chin proudly.

"I'd like to see you try."

Rose raised an eyebrow and reached for her wand at which point James jumped behind the red and gold armchair. "That's what I thought." Rose smirked. "Let's go."

Once we left the common room and the Fat Lady chided us for something, Lily asked where we were going and what we were doing.

"You'll see." Rose said mysteriously.

After ten minutes of wandering around the castle, I realized we were going to the girl's lavatory on the second floor - the one everyone avoided because of Moaning Myrtle.

"Rose! You came!" The girl who we spoke to ten minutes ago jumped up from where she was sitting on the bathroom floor.

"Grace," Oh that was her name, "I told you I would." Rose exasperated. I had only been in this bathroom once, when James wanted to plan a prank that involved flooding the entire second floor to get out of Transfiguration. Moaning Myrtle had scared us off though, she was obsessed with James, and I hadn't come back since.

"Now can anyone tell us what we're doing here?" Amanda crossed her arms across her chest and looked around at the abandoned bathroom. There were six other girls sitting on the bathroom floor. I recognized only one other from our year and a few from seventh year and two others who must be in years below me.

"We are here," Grace paused dramatically, "to create a list of the best blokes in Hogwarts." None of us said anything. Lily blinked.

"What?" I said finally.

"They have a list of the hottest girls in Hogwarts, so we were thinking we should create a list of the hottest guys in Hogwarts!" One of the younger girls said.

"They do?" Amanda looked surprised.

"That doesn't actually surprise me." I muttered. That sounded exactly like James, Albus, and Freddie, and probably Louis when he was at Hogwarts.

A seventh year nodded eagerly. "I found a copy in the Hufflepuff common room. A few boys from each house come of with certain qualities that they judge girls fourth year and up on. Of course, when I found the list I didn't know this but I made my brother who's in your year," She motioned to me and Amanda, "tell me what it was." Oh she was Tracy Nott! Her brother Jack was in my Herbology and Potions classes last year. Like her brother she had dirty blonde hair and greenish brown eyes.

"So then we thought we should do the same to them and see how they like being ranked." Vivian Chang, a Ravenclaw in my year, said. "They didn't post it up though, they just sent it around to the guys who wanted to see it. That's why none of knew. But we," She motioned to a seventh year girl, "Thought we would post it up so they knew exactly what we think of them."

"Brilliant." I said, grinning.

"Really?" Rose looked at me.

"Of course, this is an excellent way to mess with the boys." I said and Rose looked disappointed. "I can't believe you didn't tell me sooner." Amanda rolled her eyes.

"Do you still have the list from last year?" Lily asked.

"Sure. They put it out at the end of the year." Tracy said, grabbing a piece of parchment from her bag. "A list of the top twenty girls at Hogwarts." I leaned over Lily's shoulder and looked at the list.

_Hogwart: A List of Twenty Girls_

1\. Dominique Weasley 7th Year

2\. Allison Sharpe 6th Year

3\. Alison Longbottom 7th Year

4\. Rose Weasley 5th Year

5\. Tracey Nott 6th Year

6\. Lucy Weasley 7th Year

7\. Atria Williams 5th Year

8\. Jennifer Blotte 6th Year

9\. Jasmine Trunk 7th Year

10\. Emma Finnegan 4th Year

11\. Samantha Andreas 7th Year

12\. Cerise Willis 5th Year

13\. Amanda Smith 5th Year

14\. Mary Zabini 7th Year

15\. Jean Sharpe 4th Year

16\. Theresa Sinclair 7th Year

17\. Patria Mate 6th Year

18\. Vivian Chang 5th Year

19\. Grace Wood 5th Year

20\. Sinitta Martinez 4th Year

Honorable Mentions: Clara Rung, Winona Thomas, Lissa Krum

"We all made the list." Amanda muttered to me.

"I didn't." Lily growled.

"You were a third year." One of the girls said. "I'm Patria. We were all on the list," She motioned to the girls in the bathroom. "But we were the lucky ones. Imagine if you didn't make the list and you found this."

"We should purposely leave off some of the guys." Lily said, smiling evilly. She had that glint in her eyes that really worried her dad… not so much her mom and her uncles.

"Like who?" Said the girl who Vivien motioned to earlier, who I'm pretty sure was in Ravenclaw… Allison Sharpe, I think.

"Scorpius…" Rose muttered.

"Albus and James," I threw in.

"Oh, and Freddie." Lily laughed.

"I think they're all in the top five." Jean Sharpe said shyly.

"Well, what are we judging on?" Patria asked. "It can't just be hotness, because there's more to boys that that."

"I bet they judge us on looks alone." I said darkly.

"I don't think so, otherwise Jenny would be higher on the list. I'm not saying she's number 1, but if it was solely based on looks she'd be in the top 3." Allison said.

"Says someone in the top three," Grace mutter.

"Well, I don't want to sound full of myself, but I'd like to think that I have a better personality than Jenny." Allison shrugged.

"You do." I told her firmly. "So in addition to hotness we take into account… what else?"

"Well, what do you see in Justin?" Amanda asked. I thought for a moment. And then another moment.

"He's nice and polite. He's a gentleman." I told them. Merlin, that sounded boring once I said it out loud. "He's Head Boy."

"Okay, so what if we had a 'gentlemen category', but also a 'spontaneity' category. Some girls find a little danger attractive." Vivien said.

"I'm going to write this down." Jean said, pulling a piece of parchment out of her blue bag.

"Oh they should get points for being smart." Patria said excitedly.

"And for being athletic." Tracey put in. "Gotta love a quidditch body." All the girls cood in agreement. It started to rain outside, not unusual for late winter.

"Should we deduct points for slagging around?" Lily asked.

"Because James would be out if we did that." Amanda mumbled to me and I giggled silently. I twirled my blue hair, thinking about it.

"I don't think so because that only means that girls find them attractive. I think those points will come out in the 'polite/gentlemen' category." Rose shrugged. Count on Rosie to be the practical one while we're ranking boys.

"So should we nominate boys?" Grace asked excitedly, bouncing on her criss crossed legs.

"Yea and then we should ask other people. We don't have to tell them about the boy's list of girls. This is why we needed some Slytherins, we don't spend as much time with them as you do. We need to get a sense of what the guys are like when we're not around. Are they mean to other boys or younger kids, etcetera." Allison said to Amanda and I.

"I nominate…" Grace thought about it and glanced at Rose guiltily, "Scorpius Malfoy." Jean wrote down his name. She had a column for each category along the top of the page and began to write names down the side so we could give them scores in each category.

"We'll nominate people and then narrow it down if we have more than twenty, and then we'll give them a score out of ten for each column." Allison told us. "So I nominate James Potter." Lily gagged and ran her hands through her hair.

"I nominate Justin Cater." I said.

"Salvator Aros." Rose blushed and Grace bounced some more.

"He's fit," She told Rose, "And really smart. He's in my Potions class."

"Jack Nott." Vivien said and Tracey made a face.

"Health Larose." Patria said.

An hour later we had narrowed down the list to twenty guys and were now scoring them.

"Scorpius is definitely a ten in the looks category and the athletic category." Jean said, having sprawled out on the bathroom floor. The sun was starting to go down in the windows and cast a yellowish glow over the girls.

"And at least an eight in the smarts category." Grace nodded. Rose rolled her eyes but didn't argue. "And what do you think for the 'spontaneous/dangerous' category?"

"He's not that wild." I said to Amanda, silently asking her if she agreed.

"No, I'd give him a six or a seven. He does hang out with James and Freddie so that gives him some points in that column." Amanda said.

"So, how about a six?" Jean said. We made sounds of approval and she wrote down a six. "For politeness?"

"Definitely, a nine." Allison said. "One time I saw him comforting a second year who failing a test and he was really sweet. No one was even looking." All the girls swooned.

"I agree. I've never seen him be mean to anyone and he always holds doors for people." Vivien nodded.

"What about James?"

"Nine in looks, I think but I'm not a fan of dark hair," Patria said. "But ten in athletic ability." She added.

"Agreed." Tracey said and we all nodded.

And this continued until we got to Albus Potter who we decided to do last. By this time it was completely dark and Scorpius as in first place and Sal was in second. James and Freddie were in fifth and eighth respectively, which made Lily and I laughed. They had both lost major points in the 'politeness' column.

"I think he's cuter than James," Jean said, "I like his muscles." They giggled and I rolled my eyes.

"He's like a six in the brains category though." I snickered and Lily agreed.

"Okay so a ten in the looks and athletic categories-"

"We have to deduct points for him not being able to catch a snitch in the athletic category," I cut Allison off.

"So a nine," She looked at me for approval and I nodded.

"Politeness column… he's better behaved than James or Freddie," Lily said, then thought for a moment. "Probably a seven."

"Seven in the 'dangerous' column as well." Amanda nodded, probably thinking about the time he decided to play tag with the Whomping Willow. He did not win.

"So let's tally this all up and for the rest of the school year, we'll observe and rearrange the boys as we see fit." Allison said, looking over the things her sister wrote down. She nodded at her sister and we all let out a sigh of relief.

"We should get going it's almost time for dinner." Rose said. "We have a charms exam tomorrow." She said to me.

"Since when?"

"Since a week ago." Rose replied, daring me to challenge her.

"Oh well." I shrugged.

"That's it. You're not going to study?" Rose looked personally offended by my lack of caring about a test.

"Does she need to?" Amanda giggled.

"Probably." I admitted. "I'm still not sure if I can do the Bubblehead charm. Or Confundus for that matter."

"You still aren't going to study, though?" Rose asked dryly.

"Nope." I said happily.

"See you guys." Allison waved as we parted ways in the corridor. Lily went in another direction as well.

"Bye!"

"So Sal is currently at number 2." I elbowed Rose in the side softly. She blushed lightly on her cheeks and ears.

"So?"

"So you're about to get with the second hottest guy in school."

"And you're best friends with the hottest guy in school." Amanda tried not to grin. "And your cousins are in the top ten."

"Rose, I insist you stop being so greedy." I said playfully.

"What? You- but you guys are friends with all of them too!" She said defensively. Amanda and I laughed.

"I feel bad for the poor girls that marry into this family." I said.

"I feel bad for the guys that marry into this family!" Amanda's eyes widened. "Can you imagine Bill Weasley letting anyone near Dom? Or your dad letting anyone near you? There's so many protective males in your family." Amanda said to Rose.

"True." Rose said.

"Poor Sal." I sighed and Rose elbowed me not softly.

"Ow!" I cried dramatically. No, it didn't actually hurt physically, but it hurt emotionally.

"I thought I heard you!" James voice carried down the corridor. Alexander Bishop, another boy on our list, was with him. "So what happened?" Was the first thing he asked once he got to us. "And where's Lily?"

"Lily went to dinner." Rose told him, ignoring his other question. James waited to see if she was going to share anymore.

"And…" He lead.

"None of your business." Amanda said cooly. James ruffled his hair and smiled at her. She stared him down.

"Fine." He pouted.

"Hey, Alex." Rose said, thinking to acknowledge the other boy.

"Hi, Rose." Alex said, giving her a small smile. He was attractive and fell into the 'spontaneous/dangerous' column. He didn't play Quidditch for Gryffindor, but he was still fit and Grace had a huge crush on her seventh year fellow Gryffindor. I think as of now he was standing in seventh place, but I knew Amanda was observing his behavior like I was.

"So were you looking for us just to find out where we went?" Rose folded her arms and gave him a look that would have made Ginny proud.

"No-" James said dramatically.

"There's been another attack." Alex looked at the ground.

"What?" Rose said. I wasn't surprised.

"Where?" Amanda pressed a hand to her chest. We were still walking to dinner, really slowly though, and there was a couple snogging on the bench like they hadn't heard about the attack or didn't care.

"In a muggle town outside of London. Two dead, three wounded. They were all muggles… the survivors have been obliviated." James bit his lip, clearly trying to think of something to say. "The ministry just announced it an hour ago. It happened yesterday." He said shortly.

"But why? I still don't understand what they're going to get by doing this." Amanda ran her hand through her hair and gave a frustrated sigh. "Other than the dementors' kiss." She muttered.

And that's when it struck me. My mother was going to die. One way or another she was going to be killed. Either by aurors or by a dementors' kiss, and I wasn't entirely prepared to deal with that.

"Attie are you alright?" Rose whispered softly, knowing that the answer was no.

"Yea," I blinked a few times to clear the tears threatening to spill. "I just… I just want this all to be over." And that was the truth, even if it meant my mother dying.

"I'm sure the aurors will catch them soon." James said.

"Maybe."

They looked at me. "I'm just saying, we're dealing with powerful and lethal wizards." I inhaled deeply. "I'm not hungry anymore." I started walking away.

"Okay, if you're sure." Amanda called after me.

"Do you think she's okay?" James asked after Atria walked away.

"I don't know." Amanda replied, staring in the direction Atria walked off in. Rose pressed her lips together and debated going after her.

"I'm going to go." Alex slowly started to back away. No one paid attention to him, they just bent their heads together and whispered about Attie.

"Do you think this is dragging up bad memories from the past?" James said, looking at Amanda with wide eyes.

She looked at him slowly. "Do you think that the escape of her parents' killers is bringing up bad memories?" She repeated and stared at his stupidity. "Of course it is, you idiot." She smacked him on the arm.

"Maybe we shouldn't have let her be alone." Rose was on the verge of tears. "The people who killed her parents just murdered more people. They're on the loose!" Now she was getting a bit hysterical. Her hair seemed to get redder and her eyes a little bit scarier.

"She won't talk about it." Amanda told Rose, pulling her to the side of corridor so they didn't block the hall or frighten unsuspecting first years. "I've tried to talk about it, but she just says it's in the past and she wants it to stay there."

"But it's not staying there." Rose rung her hands. "It's out on the streets hunting people." Rose gasped and grabbed James's arm. "What if she goes after them? Like she did before?"

"Shit, you're right." James ran his hands through his hair. Then he paused, "So you never told me what you guys where doing."

Rose hit his head, "That's not important right now, you git." Seriously, saw he really that stupid? "You know what? I'm going to find Atria before she does something rash." And before James or Amanda could protest, Rose rushed off in a red blur.

"Great." Amanda muttered. Merlin, why was James so idiotic? She looked at him and wondered why they had given him a score of six for being a gentlemen. He was more like a two, she thought. But that would have knocked him out of the top ten and Merlin forbid he's not in the top ten.

"So-" James ruffled his hair.

Amanda snapped. "Stop doing that!" She screamed at him! He jumped back as she advanced on him, pointing her finger at him like it was a sword. Some third years shuffled past them in an attempt not to get caught in the cross-fire.

"What?" He helped his hands up.

"The- that- the thing!" She yelled incoherently. "Stop ruffling your hair and batting your eyelashes like an innocent little boy!" She jabbed a finger at his chest.

"I'm not doing it on purpose." He glared at her taking a step forward, going on the offensive. Amanda backed up, not wanting him to get too close for reasons she'd rather not think about. She wouldn't be able to think if he got too close - he smelled too nice and towered over her too much.

Sure, she wasn't as short as Attie, but her five-six was nothing compared to James's six-something. He was probably at least six-two and weighed about one hundred and eighty pounds. Stupid beautiful green eyes and rugged black hair.

"Well, you always do that!" She explained, going back to ramming him out. "Whenever you think you're about to get in trouble, you go into your 'charming' habits and try to distract us by acting cute."

James grinned and stuck his hands in his pockets. "You think I'm cute?"

Amanda threw her hands in the air and gave a little shriek. "No, you arse! I think you try to act cute and use your charm to get out of trouble?" James thought about that for a second. Maybe what Amanda said actually got through-

"So you think I have charm?"

Her eye twitched. "I can't deal with you right now." And then she started walking away.

"No, wait." James caught up to her. "Sorry," He chuckled. "I just don't-"

"Like to deal with serious situations?" Amanda interrupted him.

"Uh," He cleared his throat, "yea." He finished lamely and cursed himself.

"I'm going to the Great Hall," Amanda said softly and left before he could stop her.

"Okay, I'll just," He waved to her retreating figure. "I've got things to do as well. See ya..." He trailed off and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. A pair of fourth year giggled at him when he stood there for a few seconds. "Oh, sod off." He glared at him. They shuffled away quickly, but he heard them giggle one last time. He closed his eyes and prayed to Merlin.

After dinner, McGonagall called the Wotters into her office.

"Why are we here?" Hugo muttered.

"I didn't do anything!" Freddie said quickly, which made everyone suspicious. When everyone glanced at him, he avoided eye contact. Professor McGonagall entered the room.

"Professor, it wasn't-" Freddie started, but stopped when Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy followed McGonagall in.

"Mum!" Hugo yelled. "What are you doing here?"

"We wanted to make sure you were alright after everything that's happened." Hermione said, smiling tightly and wrung her hands.

"Where's Scorpius?" Rose asked.

"Professor Longbottom is getting him as we speak." McGonagall said and dook a seat at her desk, nodding at Draco.

"So what's happening?" Atria asked, directly.

"Uh..." Harry didn't know what else to say. He had prepared a slow intro into what was happening but Atria just shot that to hell. "There was an a... attack on a muggle village."

"We know that." Albus said. "Why are we here? What's the plan for us?"

At that moment Scorpius entered. "What's going on?"

"We think it might be better if you stay here for Easter." Hermione said quickly and then waited to hear the reactions. And there were reactions.

"What?"

"Why?"

"That's not fair!"

"Enough." McGonagall hushed them with one word.

"We feel that you will be safer here, all in one place, than out where we would have to keep track of you." Draco explained.

"But dad-"

"We just can't guarantee your safety will all of you buzzing around." Harry said. "And we know you'd want to visit each other." None of the children denied that.

"It won't be so bad," Hermione said, trying to lift their spirits. "You all get to spend a week together!"

"But no one else is staying?" James looked at his dad.

"I'm sure a few other students will be here, but we're not making it mandatory." Harry told his son, who ruffled his hair subconsciously, then stopped when he realized what he was doing. Damn Amanda, he thought.

"So you will all be staying in the Hufflepuff dormitory for the break." McGonagall said earning groans.

"Why can't we stay in Gryffindor?" Albus snapped, getting a look from his father.

"Or Slytherin?" Atria said.

"We thought it would be best if you were placed in a neutral zone." Hermione said.

"So we'll all be staying together?" James wiggled his eyebrows at Attie suggestively and she laughed him off.

While Atria was rolling her eyes, McGonagall snapped, "Don't be absurd. You will be staying in your dorms according to your year and gender."

"I have to stay alone?" Lily whispered, looking at her _daddy_, who looked at McGonagall.

"Alright, only genders will be separated. You may arrange yourselves according to gender, then." McGonagall retracted her previous statement. James still looked disappointed.

"Sleepover!" Lily cried and hugged Rose and Atria.

"Alright, you should go to your respective dormitories. Enjoy the rest of your week." McGonagall dismisses the students. Rose hugged her parents on the way out and James dodged his mother's kisses.

"Scorpius," Draco pulled his son aside. "How are you doing?" McGonagall went into a separate room.

Scorpius's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Has everything been okay with your friends?"

"I don't understand what you mean, just say what you're thinking?" Scorpius snapped, not feeling like dealing with his father's diplomacy.

"Has anyone accused you of..." Draco searched for the words, "Knowing something about the recent attacks?"

"Scorpius?" Rose whispered as she was leaving.

"I'll be there in a minute." He called. She nodded and left. "No, why would someone accuse me of knowing anything?" Draco didn't respond. "They think you had something to do with it?" Scorpius was outraged. His dad had been cleared long ago and had been a successful healer ever since.

"I don't know. I'm on probation for for a few weeks." Draco pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to disappoint his son. He never wanted his previous life to impact the one he had now.

"That's bloody ridiculous!"

"No, it's not. I've done things that I regret and that I can't take back. I never wanted those things to affect your life. There are things that would always be with you, like our last name, but I never dreamed that it would come back life this."

Scorpius didn't say anything. He pressed his lips together and choked back tears. There was a lump in his throat and he was afraid that if he spoke, he would break down. Eventually he did say something.

"My friends are being great."

"Good. You'll need them."

"It wasn't even on my radar that I might be accused."

"That's good thing." Draco ran a hand through his hair. "I'll see you later, son. We're going somewhere different for summer vacation. As are the Potters and Weasleys, we'll tell you more once we figure it all out."

"Atria's going to Romania. We won't be able to see each other?"

"We're figuring it out." And with that Scorpius hugged his father and left.

Scorpius sighed and walked slowly back to the Slytherin Common Room. The halls were mostly empty, leaving him in peace to think. He was not having a good week, but no one else was either. He wasn't outraged about staying here for break, but he wasn't overly thrilled about it. He had been looking forward to seeing his mother and getting a break from his obnoxious friends, but it would be nice to just hang out together all the time.

He still had some things he wanted to sort out with Rose and Atria, possibly Amanda as well. But Amanda had never been against him and Jenny like Atria and Rose had been. Hell, it was mostly just Attie, Rose had just gotten sucked in.

"Manda," James's voice came from around the corner. Scorpius stopped and peeked around the corner. James and Amanda were standing a few feet apart talking softly.

"James, what do you want me to say?" She hissed and folded her arms. Scorpius watched with rapt attention, waiting to see what they were arguing about this time. "I can't just tell my parents that I'm not coming home for break."

Oh, that's what they were fighting about.

James, took a step closer. "But we'll all be here and it won't be the same without you." He admitted. Scorpius whipped his head around and leaned against the wall, out of sight. What the bloody hell was this? Scorpius wondered.

"We'll see each other over the summer. I think you all can survive one week without me." Amanda smirked. Or well it sounded like she would be smirking to Scorpius. And he almost corrected her when she said they would all see each other over the summer, because most likely, they wouldn't.

"But Scorpius is staying! It's not just family. And you'll miss what happens between Rosie and Sal." James said, trying to appeal to her love of gossip.

Wait, what Rose and Sal? The new kid who had been stalking his friends around? Scorpius thought. Rose couldn't possibly be into him. He hadn't really been hanging out with Rose over the past week, so he wasn't totally privy to her love life at the moment.

"I doubt they'll do anything in a week. It's taken them a like three weeks to get to the basic flirting level." Amanda said sarcastically. Sal and Rose were flirting? How could he have missed that.

"Or maybe you just don't like us anymore." James said childishly. Scorpius didn't hear Amanda reply but could imagine her rolling her eyes or glaring at her. Okay, enough with the small talk. Scorpius rounded the corner and pretended like he hadn't known the couple was there.

"Oh, hey guys." Scorpius said, a bit too enthusiastically.

"Hey, I heard about the lockdown." Amanda said sympathetically. Scorpius shrugged.

"It's not a big deal. It's only a week and it should be fun. We'll hang out, play Exploding Snap, and eat sweets. All day." Scorpius grinned. He was starting to talk himself into this. Amanda smiled softly and glanced at James.

"We should probably get back to Slytherin." She said to Scorpius.

"Oh, right." He replied stupidly. "See ya James."

"Bye..." Amanda smiled evilly. "Jamie." James groaned and stuttered.

"You... that's! Ugh!" And he stormed off. Scorpius laughed silently to himself.

"You know I was thinking that we could watch movers during break." Scorpius told her.

"You mean movies."

"Whatever. I want to see one."


	14. Hogwarts Empty

"No! He can't die like this! Why?" Rose cried and leaned on Atria for support.

"Rose, it's just-" James started.

"No! He was going to marry her!" Rose screamed. "They were going to be together forever."

"I knew better than to let her watch this movie." Scorpius muttered. He grabbed Rose by the shoulders from where she was sitting on a couch in the Room of Requirement. "It's just a movie. Jack isn't a real person." He said slowly. Lily grinned when Rose glared at him.

"Well, then..." Rose said indignantly, "The Titanic is a rubbish movie!"

"We can agree on that then." Albus muttered. Atria rolled her eyes.

They were all sitting on couches or blankets on the floor in the Room of Requirement watching the end credits of The Titanic. It was the second day of break and they decided to watch a movie. The Room of Requirement conjured up a large T.V. and a number of movies. It was now after dinner and they had watched three movies during the day.

"Such a bloke thing to say." Attie looked pointedly at Al. Albus shrugged and looked through the stack of movies.

"Mum said it was one of the best movies ever made." Hugo told Rose.

"She lied." Freddie grinned.

"What about Lord of the Rings?" Albus held up three movies.

"Yes!" Freddie jumped up. "I've seen the second one and it was amazing! I had no idea what was going on - but it was awesome." He assured everyone.

"I read the books." Rose sniffled as Atria put a comforting arm around her. Scorpius went back to his blanket on the floor with Albus.

"Is it scary?" Lily asked. "I don't like horror movies." She said from the couch across from Rose and Attie.

"It's got some fight scenes, but it's sole purpose isn't to be scary, I don't think." Freddie told his little cousin. Lily shrugged as if she didn't care.

"Let's watch it." Atria said excitedly. "We'll start with the first one though." She laughed at Freddie who huffed.

They ended up only getting through the first movies that night but came back the next day for the next two movies. Basically everyone got hooked on movies, even Rose. She was actually happy with the end of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy - everyone lived and was happy. Rose still cried though.

"Let's go get dinner." Rose wiped away her tears and stood up.

"You sure you want Sal to see you all red and puffy faced?" James smirked at her and Lily stepped on his toe.

"Ow!"

"Oh, shut it!"

Rose looked at Atria. "Maybe we should go wash up in the prefects' bathroom." Atria grinned.

"Sure, I've never been in the prefects' bathroom." Attie clapped her hands. She tried to get Justin to give her the password one time, but he said that if 'would go against his moral code' to let a non-prefect into the prefects' bathroom.

Rose rethought, "Maybe I shouldn't-"

"Don't be such a teacher's pet." Atria pulled Rose.

"Attie stop corrupting me cousin." Albus said sarcastically.

"Come on. Lily you can come too." Rose said. Well, if she was going to break the rules she might as well break them thoroughly. Lily jumped up and followed them out, skipping as she went.

"You can't tell anyone though." Atria said strictly once they were outside the door.

"I won't." Lily huffed.

Rose whispered the password so that Atria and Rose couldn't hear it.

"Oh come on, it's not like we're going to come in here every day and use this as our bathroom instead of using the crummy showers in the girl's dormitory." Atria said with mock seriousness. Rose glared at Atria and Lily laughed. "I can deal with dirty floors and-" Atria broke off when she saw the splendor of the prefects' bathroom.

The first thing that came to attention was the large waterfall pouring into a crystal clear pool of water. Said pool of water was large and the stain glass windows shimmered on the water and every product a girl could want was on marble counters surrounding the pool.

"Whoa." Lily gasped.

"Now, I definitely need the password." Atria grinned and swept a hand along the water.

"Come on, we only need to wash off." Rose said and began to take off her clothes.

"Wait you just bathe together?" Lily blurted out and a blush crept up her neck.

"We're usually not in here at the same time. We've learned who's going to be here and when." Rose shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. I wasn't planning on taking a full bath, just washing my face, but I don't want to get water on my shirt." She explained and Atria paused and the took of her blouse.

"So weird." Lily muttered. "I don't mind getting some water on my shirt." Lily said and approached the edge of the bath. She looked at all the soaps and washes on the counter and picked one to wash her face with. Atria and Rose did the same.

"Dinner starts in ten minutes," Rose said.

"Yea and then goes on for another two hours." Atria smirked. "Unless there's another reason you're eager to get to dinner?" She looked at Rose knowingly.

"Let's just hurry," Rose insisted and Atria and Lily grinned at each other. Yet, as much as Attie teased Rose about Sal, she wasn't sure if they were right for each other. Sal was a bit too mysterious for Atria (yes, she was a hypocrite) and Rose seemed to like that. He was a puzzle for her to solve, but Atria wasn't sure why he was interested in Rose.

Not that she wasn't amazing, just that she didn't think Rose would be his type. No matter, if Atria said anything Rose would no doubt listen to her. But if Sal didn't have malicious intentions or even less-than-honorable ones, then Atria will have ruined something for Rose. And maybe Atria was just being over cautious, which came a bit too naturally for her.

"Atria," Rose said waving a hand in front of her face. Atria came out of her musings.

"What?"

"Come on, we have to go." Rose demanded, already getting dressed again. She fixed her hair in the mirror and checked herself over. Lily watched her with a grin. It was funny to see her obsessed with a boy other than Scorpius or Albus. It was always, _Scorpius is so annoying, Albus did this, Scorpius did that, Scorpius got a better grade on the test._ In fact Lily wondered why Rose and Scorpius were friends.

It all started with Atria, but they still did things without the other two friends. They studies together, went to Hogsmeade together, when Scorpius didn't have a date that Rose would complain about. Lily had to guess that they liked challenging each other-otherwise they wouldn't be friends, only in the company of Atria.

It was a weird dynamic to be sure, Lily thought as they exited the prefect's bathroom. Atria and Rose were talking about something, some 6th year assignment, that Lily paid no attention to. She went back to thinking about Rose and Scorpius.

Sometimes Lily wondered why they were all friends. The fact that Attie lived with Albus and he was Rose's cousin - that made sense. But Albus treated her like a the devil at home, and at school, yet they were still sort of friends. But where did Scorpius come into it? She knew that Atria was friends with him, and Amanda sort of fell in there as well, but Rose and Albus became attached to Scorpius.

Lily knew that James had begun to accept Scorpius and Amanda to please Atria, he had made no secret of that. But James wasn't trying to please Atria as much anymore, Lily realized as she thought about the past few months. Maybe because Atria now had Justin, or he realized that in a few months they wouldn't see each other as much.

"Lily," Someone called her name, pulling her from her thoughts. "Lily." Her friend, Casiopea, a fellow fourth year, called again. She waved Lily over to the Gryffindor table. She was one of the few people staying over Easter break. There were a few more scattered people throughout the Great Hall. James and Freddie were bent over a piece of parchment, no doubt planning to blow something up. Al and Scorpius were sitting at the Slytherin table, where Attie and Rose had just joined them.

"Where have you been?" Cassie asked as Lily sat down. "I was sitting here all alone awkwardly." She elbowed Lily in the side.

"I was with Rose and her friend."

"Atria." Oh right, everyone knew them. Lily sometimes forgot when she was with them, but Rose and Atria were popular. They didn't realize it, especially Rose, but everyone was aware of them, even if they weren't a part of the gossip ring that circulated about her cousins constantly.

"Yea, I was just thinking about their complex friendship." Lily told Cassie, thinking maybe an outside view would be helpful.

"Rose and Atria?" Cassie munched on some chips.

"All of them. Like why are Rose and Al friends with Scorpius, and why does James hang with them even though he has plenty of seventh year friends?"

"Whoa, take a breath." Cassie laughed. "Maybe they all like each other." She shrugged simply.

Lily's eye twitched, "But Rosie and Scorpius argue a lot, and Attie and Al are just plain mean to each other. Yet they all manage to be best friends. And Amanda wasn't friends with any of them until Attie came. And James never hung out with them before."

"Oh, that's easy." Cassie waved off Lily's concern. "Rose and Scorpius fancy each other, James used to fancy Attie but I don't think he does anymore-"

"I don't think he does either," Lily interjected. "But he still hangs around them."

"I don't know why he does that, maybe out of habit." Cassie continued, "And Atria and Albus…" She paused dramatically, "Simple sexual tension."

Lily stared at her friend, "You think they like each other?"

"I think they're attracted to each other." Cassie corrected her, and looked around to make sure no one had heard. Lily thought about it and her friend continued speaking as she played with her hair. "I think they used to genuinely dislike each other, now it's just a game."

Lily looked at Attie and Al who were sitting across from each other whispered heatedly. And yet… Albus looked a little bit thrilled and she couldn't see Atri's face, but her hair wasn't fiery red like it got when she was angry. Instead it was a soft blue. And Scorpius and Rose were next to each other looking at a book. Lily didn't see Sal in the Great Hall.

Wait… "Did you say Rose and Scorpius fancy each other?" Lily gaped. Cassie nodded, looking unconcerned, as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Yep."

"But Sal-"

"The new boy who follows Rose around? I think he's a passing fancy. It's not like they realize they fancy each other, so Rose is happy to let herself believe she actually likes Sal." Cassie explained. Holy merlin, this was why Lily needed an outside opinion.

"Rose seems to really like Sal." Lily argued.

"Of course she does. He's an italian god, and really cute. Plus he's sort of mysterious and who doesn't love a mystery. But in the end, I think it's just curiosity. I mean she's wants to explore her options, before settling on Scorpius."

"And him?"

"He's a boy. They're hopeless about feelings." Cassie giggled. Lily ate some chips while she thought on this.

Over the next week I was pretty sure that I gained copious amounts of weight. All we did was watch movies and eat, with the occasional friendly competition of Quidditch. And when I say friendly I mean-

"Pass me the quaffle, you daft idiot!" Albus shouted at me. Instead of playing with full teams we decided that we would play with only one beater, one bludger, three chasers, and no snitch. There weren't enough people to have a real game of Quidditch and McGonagall didn't want anyone to get injured because there was no referee.

"JAMES IS RIGHT THERE!" I scream back. Okay, so Albus was quicker than James but still. Approaching Hugo in the goal I shot in the third hoop and… he saved it. Damn.

"I told you to pass to me." Albus sneered as he flew past me.

"People get a hold of yourselves!" Lily flew over to us. "You're on the same team! Try to get along without all the," She stumbled looking for the correct word, and then gave me a weird smile and flew away.

Scorpius,James and his friend Parker passed between them until they came against Rose in the goal. When dividing the teams, James exclaimed that it was unfair to get me, Al, and Lily all on one team so to balance it out we had to take Rose as our keeper and a Hufflepuff beater, Joe Bainbridge. He wasn't bad he was just… a hufflepuff.

Rose was not able to block James's shot. She tossed the ball to Albus who gave me a look, but eventually tossed it to me. I threw the quaffle to Lily and she scored. And that's why she was a chaser. Okay, so admittedly I wasn't the strongest person, which was the reason I was the seeker, but it was embarrassing that Lily could throw a quaffle better than me.

"It's almost lunch time!" Rose hollered. Any excuse to get out of playing keeper. I shook my head.

"Lunch is for wimps!" I yelled back across the pitch.

"Then consider me a wimp." Rose shrugged and flew to the ground. If only she took the bait like the boys did. Sal was waiting for her in the stands. He had showed up halfway through our game, but only watched. He walked down the stairs to catch up with Rose.

"Prat." Hugo muttered.

"Give her a break." Lily berated him.

"I don't like him." Scorpius muttered as we all met in the middle of the pitch, hovering on our brooms. Lily muttered something, but with the wind, I couldn't make out what she said.

"He's actually okay." Freddie shrugged, swinging around his beater bat. Joe glared at him when Freddie almost hit him on the head.

"See you later." He said quickly and flew to the ground, following Rose and Sal to lunch.

"Okay, well we may as well get lunch seeing as they're all quitters." Freddie said, but I knew he just wanted an excuse to eat. James followed him and then there were four of us.

"I guess we may as well get lunch." Scorpius shrugged, he started to go down. "Are you coming?" Lily followed him but I looked at Albus.

"I'm not hungry yet." He told me. I looked at Scorpius.

"We'll be down in a little while." Lily raised her eyebrows, Scorpius just shrugged. Once they were gone I looked at Albus. "Now what?"

"Let's fly." He stated simply. He began flying in circles around me.

"I could go get the snitch and we could chase it. Have a little competition?" I grinned at him, but he shook his head.

"Let's just fly."

I frowned. "Just fly?" He stopped flying around me and gave me a questioning look.

"Yes, don't you like to fly?" He sat up straight, gripping the broom.

"Of course I do." I said defensively. A few moments of silence went by. "Is it because you know I'll win?"

He laughed. "Does everything have to be a competitive? Can't we just fly around - two seekers just enjoying the wind in our hair?" He was really confusing me. He didn't want to compete, but he still wanted to…

"You just want to hang out?" I said stupidly. Bloody hell, I didn't want to hear the answer to that. And he didn't answer he just looked at me. "Wait! Are you trying to get the edge on me? Watch how I'm flying so you can beat me?" I said accusingly. He sighed and hovered a bit closer.

"It couldn't be that I actually enjoy just flying?" He snapped back at me. "This is why you're so bloody annoying! You always think it's about you. You didn't have to stay, I just thought that you might want to fly around for fun. Me wanted to relax on a broom had nothing to do with you and if you're so suspicious of me you can just leave!" He growled at me.

"You were the one who wanted me to stay!" I shouted at him. His green eyes darkened and the wind ruffled his hair.

"Well, clearly that was a mistake. Besides it wasn't directed at you specifically, it was an open invitation to anyone who wanted to fly a bit longer." He sneered. I opened my mouth and then closed it. He was technically right - he hadn't asked me to stay, but he had looked at me.

"Don't worry I'll leave, so you don't have to deal with my egotistical self any longer." I sneered back at him. And flew to the ground as fast as I could. He was still hovering in the air when I left the stadium. Damn he was an arse. Granted this time it may have been my fault, but he was still a prat.

I went to the Great Hall without bothering to put my broom away. Sal and Rose were sitting at the Ravenclaw table and everyone else was sitting at the Gryffindor table. When I went over everyone had just began eating and they were complaining about how there was only one more day of break left.

"I don't want to take N.E.W.T. tests." Freddie groaned dropping his head on the table.

"You're only taking four N.E.W.T.'s this year, Fred." Lily laughed and he glared at her.

"Well, I took five last year!" He said defensively.

"And you only passed three of them." James laughed. Despite James being a royal idiot most of the time, he was quite smart. He had passed all of his N.E.W.T.'s last year and was still taking five N.E.W.T.'s this year.

"So if I pass two of these that's a total of five N.E.W.T.'s. That's plenty." It was enough to get a job but still… only five N.E.W.T.'s? I was taking six this year and would definitely pass with all O's and E's. As long as I mastered that bloody Patronus charm. Defensive spells weren't my strongest suit and I still could on muster a little silver spray when I cast a Patronus. Defense Against the Dark Arts should have been one of my best subjects, but of course my mother never taught me defensive charms.

_If you're being attacked, go down fighting. _None of this defensive rubbish.

"You're lucky Rose is here." Scorpius chuckled, giving Freddie a knowing look. True, if she heard her cousin right now she would write to his mother about his lack of motivation and then Angelina would send him a howler. Scorpius looked towards Rose and Sal and glowered at them. I don't think he liked being usurped as Rose's studying partner. He could be a bit territorial sometimes, especially of Rose.

They continued to talk about N.E.W.T.'s and how they didn't want to go back to class over break. Eventually Albus came in and sat next to Scorpius, who gave him a questioning look. Probably because Albus was scowling and muttering things under his breath.

"I'm going to talk with Rose." I announced and got up, gathering my broom.

"Maybe we should take this opportunity to talk with Salvatore?" Hugo suggested to James. James and Freddie grinned at each other. Scorpius looked like he wanted to join in as well.

"No!" Lily and I growled at them. "You stay here." I commanded like they were dogs. I left before they could argue. Rose and Sal were looking of potions notes. Hey, I usually helped Rose with potions!

"Hey Atria." Rose smiled as I down opposite of her.

"What are you doing?" I looked between her and Sal. He just looked at Rose, letting her explain.

"Studying for the potions test we have next week." She knowingly, as in she knew I didn't know about the test.

"Right, I thought we were going to study together? I still need some help with-" I broke off, looking at Sal. I couldn't let a perfect stranger know about my weakness in Defense Against the Dark Arts. "-that thing." I finished lamely.

"If I had asked you to study, would you have?" Rose raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." I lied automatically. Of course not, we were playing quidditch.

"Go study with Scorpius." She said and there was a bit of defiance in her voice. Was that towards me or Scorpius? Because I was pretty sure that things were all patched up between them.

"Fine." I said and left them to 'study.' I marched over the Scorpius. "Let's go study." His eyes bugged out.

"Have you been drinking from the cauldrons again?" He asked like I was crazy. Okay, so it was well known that I hate studying, but he didn't have to sound so shocked.

"No, there's apparently a potions test next week and Rose won't study with me and I need to learn how to do a patronus charm!" I pouted, slumping down on the bench.

"You can't do a patronus?" Albus smirked at me. "I'm pretty sure Lily knows how to do one and she's fourth year." I will not punch him in the face. I will not punch him in the face.

"But what about the potions test?" Scorpius asked.

"Oh who cares about that! I know everything. I need help in DADA." I whined, giving him puppy eyes. Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Besides you don't need my help in potions." I told him.

"But Albus does." Scorpius pointed out. I crunched up my nose to show distaste.

"So?"

"So he can do a patronus better than anyone." Scorpius told me. I already bloody know that! How does that help me? Albus wouldn't help me for all the cauldron cakes in the world.

"I'm not going to help her." Albus snapped. See?

"I could help you." Freddie said. What? Did he even pass DADA last year? "I'm better at Patronuses anyways." He smirked at Albus, who blanched at that suggestion.

"You are not!" Albus said indignantly and he turned to me. "C'mon, I'll have you doing a patronus within the hour. Possible a full corporeal one." He challenged Freddie, who didn't look like he cared.

Albus stormed out of the Great Hall and I had to chase after him.

"Where are we going?" I asked excitedly.

"To the Room of Requirement of course." He snapped. Perhaps he realized he had been tricked into this. Either way, unfortunately, this may gain him some points in the "gentlemen" column for our list. Bullocks.

Of course, the room was prepared with all of our needs. Which was basically simply space to practice.

"Think of a happy memory." Albus told me. I rolled my eyes - I knew that part. I thought of the happiest memory that I could remember. "Now say the words _expecto patronum_." That was it?

I did it and nothing happened. Albus shrugged. "Probably not the right memory. Try another." He suggested.

"What's your's?" I asked. He didn't reply so I thought he wasn't going to answer but eventually he did.

"There was this time my dad decided to take me and James fishing," He began.

"Fishing?"

"Yep." He grinned. "It was the summer after my first year and he wanted to do some bonding I think. You know, all of his boys had left the nest. Anyways, it went horribly wrong. Our boat got stuck in the middle of the lake. We tried to paddle," At this point he was laughing so hard his words became a bit jumbled, "But James hit my dad into the water... and then my dad decided that James and I could push the boat from behind." He had tears in his eyes at this point. "But we just tipped it over. We lost all our supplies..." He grinned to himself. "And then I got bitten by some fish."

"That doesn't sound like a happy memory." I said, but I was trying not to smile.

"It wasn't at the time, but looking back it was bloody hilarious." He shook his head. "Merlin, that was the best day of my life."

"Do your patronus." I told him. He looked at me and then stood up. He cast it easily and a large silver shark swam out. "Wow." I said grudgingly. I hate to admit that he was good at anything but this was amazing.

"Now you try." He ended the charm. I thought of a new memory. One that wasn't perhaps as big, but was still important. I cast the charm and silver spilled out from my wand. It didn't take a form but it was there.

Once I broke off the charm I took a deep breath. "I can't believe I did it."

"It was a start." Albus shrugged. "Still a long way to go before you impress the N.E.W.T. examiner." He reminded me. "Try it again, but really focus on how you felt that day. Don't just remember it, go back to it." I nodded and bit my lip. "I'm curious to see what shape your's takes so lets get a move on."

"Okay okay." I grinned, excited to try again. "_Expecto Patronum._" The silver mist came again this time a bit more solid. I tried to think about how I felt when the Malfoys had taken me out to lunch after that quidditch game. It was the first time I felt like I belonged. And then Grandma Weasley came into my memory and the patronus got a bit strong. But then it faded.

"That was better." He nodded. Rumour had it, that he had been able to cast a patronus on his second attempt. Not a full corporeal one, mind you, but still it was impressive especially for Albus. But his strong suit had always been DADA.

"It gets easier with practice," He told me, "you figure out which memories really help you and which feelings you want to reproduce."

"How much do you practice?" I asked. I had tried this probably twenty times and this was the first time I had been able to actually made the patronus become a shield.

"After the first time I did it, it took me quite a few tries to get it to take a form. I probably did it fifteen or twenty times before mine became corporeal." He smiled, almost grimly. "My dad told me he produced a corporeal patronus after only doing it three or four times."

"Your dad lived in a different time. He had a reason to push himself. We're only doing it for exams." I said, although I'm not sure why. I didn't try to make a habit of comforting Albus, but he was clearly upset about something. "Besides I had to do this twenty times before I could produce anything, much less a corporeal patronus."

"Are you admitting that I'm better than you at something?" He grinned and a light flashed in his eyes.

"I'm _admitting _anything." I stuck my chin up proudly. "I'm simply stating facts. Besides, do you really want to start comparing our accomplishments?" He glared at me.

"This is why I was surprised you complimented me." He muttered. I shrank back a little. "You don't need me anymore. Just practice that a few more times and I'm sure you'll be doing it better than I ever have." He said calmly and walked out. Bloody hell, I hated it when he did that. It made me feel worse than when he actually got angry. Then again I may have been a bit antagonizing to him.

Dammit, I was going to have to give him some points for today. First, inviting me to fly, then ignoring that and helping me with DADA, and then didn't curse me when I insulted him. Even worse than him being nice, I had been a hag.

The rest of break passed without incident. Well, without a serious incident. Surprisingly, contrary to what he said, James seemed eager for break to be over. Admittedly, I was a bit sick of being stuck with the same people again and again. And I missed Justin... sort of. I hadn't actually thought of him that much and that made me feel guilty. I hadn't written him the whole week and he hadn't written me.

While we were in the Great Hall waiting for the train to drop all the students off in Hogsmeade, I spoke with Rose about it.

"Maybe you're just secure enough in your relationship." She said, but sounded doubtful. "Have you thought about what you're going to do when he graduates?" Not really.

"I don't know. We haven't really talked about the future much." I avoided it heartily.

"Do you want to stay together?"

"Maybe, but I'll be in Romania over the summer. I'll barely see James or Freddie next year and they're family. I just don't know if I like him enough to put in the effort." She nodded, understanding where I was coming from.

"If you don't like him that much, break up with him." Rose said simply.

"But I like him enough for the rest of the school year." I clarified. She gave me a look and I felt a little guilty. I did like Justin, he just wasn't the one. "You know it's not like that. Are you planning on marrying Sal?" I threw back at her.

"Well, no-" She stumbled.

"But it's nice to have someone."

"I don't need a boyfriend." She snapped defensively, then checked to see if anyone overheard her loss of temper. Luckily, we had managed to ditch the boys for a little while, so we were catching up on girl talk. After a few moments, Rose opened her mouth then closed it. I waited for her to say whatever it was she wanted to say.

"Oh just say it already." I shook her.

"Have you had sex?" She blurted out. I think my mouth hit the ground. And then she went into a nervous ramble. "I mean, I know you've had boyfriends before, but none of them seemed serious. Yet at the same time you seem to live life in the moment and I don't know but I can't ask anyone else about this." I knew if I didn't stop her she would work herself up.

"Rose, relax. It's okay to wonder." I gripped her shoulder. "But no, I haven't. I've never really come close. I've only ever snogged my boyfriends. I've thought about… going farther, but essentially I know that I'm not ready." She took a deep breath.

"And if I think about… it? I mean, I don't even have a boyfriend. I've never had my first kiss!" She bit her lip.

"You're not the only person in sixth year you hasn't been kissed." I assured her. "And you don't want it to be some random boy, you want your first kiss to be a boyfriend. It's better when it's with someone you know and trust." I hoped the train was running late because this was turning into an in depth talk.

"I keep thinking about what happens if I get a boyfriend." She whispered nervously.

I heard voices coming from outside. "Maybe we should go somewhere more private?" Rose looked around and nodded. We ended up going to an abandoned room on the third floor.

"I can't imagine kissing anyone…" Rose thought for a moment and then shook her head. I wanted to ask what, or who, she was thinking about but she continued. "What if I want to have sex?"

That was a loaded question if there ever was one. I really hoped Scorpius or Hugo didn't walk in here, because no doubt they would have Sal's head. He was probably the reason that Rose started freaking out about kissing and sex all the sudden. I hated the fact that she was so upset about this.

"What if he only wants to shag?" Rose said, her eyes full of worry.

"Then you kick him to the curb. You deserve to be with someone who loves her. Just think about this when you have sex - do I want this person to be the father of my children?" That shocked her. The thought of children at sixteen - her birthday wasn't until May. "And if you don't think he'll stick around, you probably shouldn't be shagging."

She thought about that for a minute. "Dom said I should be careful because all boys want in is sex." I wasn't sure, but I trusted Dom when it came to boys. She was experienced and knew about these kinds of things. Dimitri hadn't pushed for sex but we weren't together that long and I had only been a fourth year. Maybe that was part of the reason we had broken up. I wasn't as physical as he wanted.

Justin hadn't demonstrated an unyielding thirst for sex yet, but we had only been together for a little while. Maybe that was going to come later.

"Just do whatever feels right." I told her, thinking that was always a good option. She was smart and I doubted she would do anything that would put her in jeopardy. Unlike me, she always thought ahead.

She nodded and said, "We should probably go before the boys find us. I wouldn't want them to overhear this conversation." She muttered, voicing what I had been thinking a few moments ago.

"Maybe we can talk to Amanda about it." I suggested. Rose nodded absently, clearly thinking about something else. Once again, I wanted to ask her where her head was at.

We found her when we went back to the Great Hall. She still had her bags and was speaking with James, who was grinning. We raced over to her and pushed James aside.

"Hey!" He cried.

"How was your break?" I asked her excitedly. Even in the summer we had never gone this long without seeing each other.

"Pretty good. It was nice to see mum." She shrugged. "How about you? James said you watched a lot of movies." She glanced at him and laughed. Why was he still hovering around?

"We did. Anyways, let's go drop your things off and then we'll catch up." I said and gave Rose a look.

"Wait, but…" James said as we left, but we were already gone.

"Why are we in such a rush?" Amanda asked as we quickly ran up the stairs to our dorm.

"Rose and I need some advice." I told her, including myself so Rose wouldn't be put on the spot like I knew she felt she was.

"About what?"

"Not here."

"What-?" We dragged her back to the third floor where there was the abandoned corridor. "Will you please tell me what is happening?" She grinned curiously.

"We need advice about sex." Rose said firmly. She had calmed down a bit from when we had talked. Amanda though, looked shocked.

"Why does you need advice about… that?"

"We were just wondering." I shrugged.

"I'm a bit nervous about having a boyfriend." Rose admitted and Amanda smiled at her understandingly. I gave Amanda a brief version of the conversation we had had before.

"So have you had sex?" Rose asked eagerly.

Amanda shook her head. "No, I've come close a few times, but I was too scared. I figured that if I was too afraid to let someone else see me naked then I wasn't ready to have sex."

"Okay, now that we have established when you should have sex, can we go eat?" I complained. My stomach grumbled in agreement.

"One more question!" Rose threw up a hand. "Do all guys just want sex?" Amanda bit her lip.

"I think they think about it a lot." She smiled secretly, "But I also think that they want more. Some guys are okay with not having sex even if they want to." Rose seemed calmed by this and we went back to the Great Hall. James was there talking with his friends who had just returned and Scorpius had also popped up. But he was talking with Jenny, so we didn't approach him.

I didn't see Justin yet, but I would find him later. Rose went over the Gryffindor table and Amanda and I went to the Slytherin table to greet our housemates who had just returned. While everyone traded stories about break, I thought about what I was going to do about Justin. Clearly, we needed to have a talk.

**Yay! Sorry that took so long. My Spanish computer was being a butthead and wouldn't let me upload, but I'm back in the U.S. for two weeks so I'm going to try to update as much as I can in the next two weeks. Enjoy and review! - Alex**


	15. Something New

Exams were less than two weeks away and Rose was freaking out. Not about exams for once, but about summer and next year. It had finally hit her that they were going to be seventh years! Who would the Heads be? What was their final year at Hogwarts going to be like? All these questions ran through her mind and many more.

Atria was going to be away for the summer, so who was she going to vent to? Amanda was only a floo away but still, she was used to having someone close. The Potter's were only a few miles away, but this summer Attie wouldn't be there. Who was she going to open her exam results with? And more importantly, boy talk.

Sal still hadn't asked her out or done anything other than study with her. Sure, he flirted a bit, but nothing more. Maybe he didn't like her after all. Rose sighed while flipping through her potions notes. She had read them all three times, but one more time and she was sure she would have it all memorized. Atria was with Justin and Scorpius was Merlin knew where, so she was left to her own devices for studying potions.

James was still in the clouds about his tryout with Puddlemere, which he was sure went disastrously. Rose was sure that wasn't true because even though she wasn't obsessed with Quidditch, she knew talent when she saw it and James was a talented flier. She sighed again. What was she going to do when she graduated? She had thought about a number of things but there was no one thing that stood out to her. In fifth year, when they had done career counseling, all Professor Longbottom had said was to pick something she was passionate about. Of course, she hadn't had any limitations on what she could do, because she excelled in every subject he had said.

"That's third time you've sighed in the last minute." Albus plopped down next to her. "What's wrong, Rosie?" She was pleasantly surprised to see a slight shift in her cousin over the past few months. Even Atria admitted he had been less of a prat. He had been bumped up a few placed on the list for some points earned in the "gentlemen/politeness" column.

"Just thinking about the future." She sighed again dejectedly.

"Gross." Al grinned. He hadn't grown up that much it seemed.

"Do you know what you want to do?"

"Maybe work in the Department of Magical Cooperation. Doing stuff like coordinating the Quidditch Cup and whatnot." He shrugged.

"You don't want to play Quidditch?"

"Nah, I'm not good enough." Rose raised her eyebrows. "You know I'm not. At least, not for a good team. And I'd always be compared with James."

"James is a chaser, you're a seeker."

"Still, I don't think that life is for me." Albus ruffled his hair. "James is more... outgoing than I am."

"Can I ask you something?" Rose asked after a minute.

"You just did." He replied dryly.

"What do you think about sex?" Albus choked a little bit on his own spit.

"What?" He coughed.

"We need a boy's opinion."

"Who is 'we' exactly?" Al's eyes narrowed slightly. Maybe this was a mistake, Rose thought.

"Just... me." Rose swallowed with difficulty. She didn't want to give Albus another reason to tease Attie.

"Why do you want to know what I think about sex?"

"Not just you." Rose corrected quickly. She had no interest in her cousin's sex life. Well, she was a bit curious since he was very mysterious about his love life as a whole. "All boys."

"We obviously like it." He said.

"Obviously." Rose said impatiently, "But is that all you want?"

"No, not always. I mean, with Scorpius and Jenny, it's about sex, but it's mutual. She doesn't really have a sparkling personality, but if she did I think he would be interested in that. Guys like different things in a girl, so I can't speak for what every guy wants, but generally we like to be kept interested. And sometimes that's sex, and sometimes it's not." Albus said, looking around the library casually. "But most of the time, if a bloke's single and he's offered sex he won't refuse."

"So you've had sex?"

"Once." Al admitted. It actually shocked her that it wasn't more, but he wasn't James.

"And..." She lead him, when he didn't add anymore.

"It was fun. Sex is always fun for the guy."

"But not for the girl?"

"Sometimes." Albus shrugged. "Depends on the guy, I suppose. Why do you care though?"

"No reason," Rose replied too quickly. "I should probably go find… someone." She said lamely and Albus gave an amused grin as she hurried away. Albus wasn't as overbearing as James or Hugo, but that conversation made him want to punch Sal in the mouth.

James was leaving in two weeks. Never again to return to Hogwarts and that made him nervous. There still seemed like so much he had to do, so many people to prank and things to blow up. Seventh year hadn't gone exactly as planned. With the Death Eaters on the loose, there wasn't as much freedom, people were more on edge.

But some things never changed.

"So what do you think?" Kyle asked, looking down at the piece of parchment.

"I still can't believe Rose is in first." James shook his head.

"Why not?" Scorpius said, a bit defensively.

"It's just weird." James shuddered and Hugo nodded. It was Hugo's first time on the committee and he was in awe. "And Lily is number 13."

"All of our friends are on the list." Scorpius said.

David nodded. "Seems a bit unfair that you guys get all the hot ones." There were a few murmurs of humorous agreement.

"Hey, we were friends with them before they were pretty." James said. "Besides we can't help if we have a gorgeous family."

"Well, looks like this is it." Kyle said. "No last minute changes? Good. I'm going to make copies." He took out his wand and did that.

"Come on, before Rose catches us and hangs us by our toes again." James cringed and Hugo and Scorpius followed him out. "I've got to go study for N.E.W.T.'s." They looked at him, freaked out by his excited tone.

"What are you so happy about?" Hugo took a step away from James.

"This is the last time I'll have to study for an exam!" And then the other boys looked jealous.

"Bloody hell, I can't wait to be a seventh year." Scorpius muttered. "I'm gonna go find Albus. Need some help in DADA." He ran a hand through his platinum hair and left the other two boys. First he went to the library and then realized that Al had probably never stepped into the library of his own free will.

"There you are!" Scorpius huffed as he made his way down to the lake. Albus was sitting under the large tree that many students used as a snogging spot. But Al was alone.

"How did it go?" Al ruffled his hair, a potions book sat in his lap.

"You'll find out tomorrow when we release the list."

"Oh, come on." Al groaned and shoved his best friend's shoulder.

"Hey, you didn't want to be in on this, remember?"

"I just didn't want to spend hours pouring over which girl has the nicest breasts." Al rolled his eyes. "It's a bit archaic."

"But fun." Scorpius laughed and Al rolled his eyes again. "I broke up with Jenny last night. If you could even call it a break up since we really weren't together." He leaned back against the tree and looked out over the lake.

"Did she cry?"

"Al don't smile at the thought of a girl crying. And no, she was just a bit put off, but understood why. It was really a mutual thing." Al nodded, understanding. They sat for a few minutes in silence.

"My grandfather's being questioned."

Al looked at Scorpius in surprise.

"They think he had something to do with the attacks?"

"I don't know. Dad didn't say much in his letter." Scorpius shrugged, trying to scowl. "If you look at it from an objective point of view it makes sense."

"But..." Al knew there had to be more.

"But he served his time in Azkaban. He made it very clear where he stood with Voldemort. He wasn't in it for the destruction, he just liked the power. Even though the Malfoy name is still... dirty, we have power. He doesn't need or want to risk losing it." Scorpius picked at the grass.

"He told you this?" Al couldn't imagine Lucius Malfoy suddenly deciding to have a heart to heart.

"I asked him how he could have done the things he did."

"How you weren't home when he visited over Easter?"

"He owled me to tell me he was disappointed he wouldn't get to see me but maybe over the summer I could stay with them for a few weeks in Spain." Scorpius dropped his head and his overgrown hair fell into his eyes.

"And you owled back demanded to know why he was horrible person?" Albus did not see the connection.

"I barely see them for five years and then he wants me to come stay with them?" Scorpius scoffed. "And I had been curious for a long time, the opportunity was there. He told me that he wanted power and he did believe in the pureblood cause. But when it was made clear Voldemort was totally insane, he wanted out. Obviously you can't just resign from being a Death Eater. And my grandmother saved your dad's life." Albus nodded, his father had told him that the first time he asked if Scorpius could come for dinner.

"And that's why she was pardoned." Albus concluded.

"And my grandmother was really not all that involved. But my grandfather got five years in Azkaban." Scorpius bit his lip. "My father was pardoned, as well." He added.

"I thought he got probation?" Scorpius looked at Al. "What? When Uncle Ron found out we were friends with you he sat us down and gave us a long history of why he didn't like your father."

"Great." Scorpius muttered.

"He likes you though. And Rose and Attie were very defensive of you."

"But not you?"

"I was enjoying the show." Albus folded his arms behind his head, grinning at the memory. He'd thought Uncle Ron's head was going to explode it was so red.

"Thanks mate."

"You're welcome." Al replied smugly.

"You know my dad also-"

"There you pea-brains are!" Atria's voice was like thunder from behind them. "Where have you been?" She crossed her arms, when she came to stand in front of them.

"Here." Scorpius raised his hands up innocently.

"We're going swimming." Al noticed that she was indeed only where a bathing suit. It wasn't particularly flashy but he couldn't help but rake his eyes over her body. It wasn't even a two-piece, just a simple silvery blue one-piece. And then he cursed himself for looking at all.

And then he realized that Rose and Amanda were there as well and that Amanda was speaking but he hadn't heard anything.

"-only beautiful day there's been in a while and it might be our last chance before summer." She was saying. Unlike, Rose and Atria, Amanda was wearing a two-piece. Yet, he still couldn't help but look at Atria. Bloody hell. "You want to join us?"

"Sure." Scorpius got up. "I have to go get my swim suit, though. Albus?" Albus shrugged and got up as well.

"Why not?" He needed a dip in the freezing lake water. As he and Scorpius were entering the castle they ran into James and Freddie.

"Where are you going on a beautiful day like this?" Freddie wrapped an arm around his younger cousin's neck. Al tried to struggled out of the hold, but to no avail.

"We're about to go swimming. We just needed a suits first." Scorpius explained.

"Excellent!" James clapped his hands together. "We'll join you." Al groaned, meanwhile Scorpius just kept digging them deeper.

"Amanda, Rose, and Attie are already out by the lake." He said and James's eyes lit up. Of course, he wants to see Atria in her swimsuit. Albus cursed himself, who cared what James did or who her like?

"Freddie, come on." Scorpius jerked his head toward one hall. Although Al was his best friend, Scorpius had never showed him where the Slytherin common room was and neither had Amanda. Obviously, Atria had never showed him the common room. He knew where all the other common rooms were and most people knew where the Gryffindor common room was, but hardly any outsiders knew where the Slytherin common room was.

"Come on, little brother." Freddie released Al who quickly got out of reach. Only to be pulled in by James, but he could take James. Once he jabbed James in the side and escaped, he ruffled his hair.

"I can't wait till you troll brains leave." Al muttered.

"Ouch." James feigned hurt. "Hogwarts is going to be so boring next year and you know it."

"I don't know," Al said thoughtfully, "I think Hugo might fill your shoes."

"Not even in his dreams." James smirked, clearly unconcerned. But the more Al thought about it, the more he realized that Hugo was really into the pranks business, he was just a lot more subtle. Hugo didn't get up on the Gryffindor table and start dancing the Macarena after a massive explosion at the teacher's table. Two guesses as to who did do that.

"So where were you at the last Hogsmeade?" Al steered the conversation in a different direction. "I didn't see you."

James swallowed and looked nervous suddenly. They passed some Ravenclaws in the hall and then he spoke in low tones. "I was at a Quidditch tryout."

"Seriously?"

"Shh. It's not front page news!" James hissed.

"It kinda is."

"If I make it." James muttered and Albus had to roll his eyes. Of course his brother would make it. James was an amazing chaser, who had been on the team since his second year, and who had two house cups on his belt. And probably would have had a few more if it wasn't for Atria. Slytherin had always been a solid team, but in Al's fourth year they really came together.

"Which team?"

"Puddlemere and the Harpies."

Two teams were interested in him. He really shouldn't be surprised. "And you haven't heard?"

"No. I think I'll make Puddlemere, but the Harpies already have Bletchley and she's not that old."

"But you want to go to the Harpies?"

"Yea, of course." That was where their mum had played.

"Nargle Beard." Al muttered to the Fat Lady. She swung open and they crossed through

the portrait hole. "So what happens if you make it? When will you know?"

"I should find out within the next week. Definitely before graduation in twelve days." Albus paused, coming to a stand still on the landing platform of the fourth year boys dormitory. They still had two more flights of stairs to go before they got to sixth year dormitory. Albus always wished they had one of those muggle contraptions that took people up tall buildings by just pushing buttons.

"Only twelve days?" Al was suddenly a bit choked up.

"Now you're going to start caring that I'm gone?" James punched his arm playfully and continued up the stairs, Al had no choice but to follow. "If I make one of the teams, most practices start the second week in summer. They've been doing spring training since the season ended in February, but since tryouts are all in June none of the rookies start until June 15th, give or take a week."

Whoa, James had really thought this through. He had done his research.

"What do mum and dad think you have planned for a job? Unless you've told them."

James scoffed. "No. I can't tell them until I've made the team and have my first paycheck. Go get changed. I'll meet you in the common room." Al realized they were standing before the large wooden door of the sixth year boy dormitories. James started to go up the next flight of stairs.

Al's dorm room was empty. Not surprising considering how beautiful it was outside. And with exams being so close, those who weren't outside, were in the library. There were eight beds lined up, perfectly made. House-elves were a miracle from Merlin in Al's opinion. Not that he would ever tell Aunt Hermione that.

Once Al and James were outside the castle again, James brought up his future.

"I told them I have several internship interviews lined up. One of them is actually for the England Quidditch team, as an assistant for the manager." He shrugged and grinned when he saw Atria wave at him. Al scowled as James raced off to greet her. She was in the water, on Scorpius's shoulders while Amanda was on Rose's. Freddie was with them though. Albus wondered where he had gone off to.

Ah, the age old tradition of chicken-fighting.

As Al got closer he heard Scorpius called out, "Finally! These two just don't put up a fight." He motioned to Rose and Amanda who were currently toppling over into the water. Scorpius pushed Atria's legs up causing her to fall backward.

"You arse!" She splashed water at Scorpius when she surfaced.

"Well, we are here to help." James stripped off his t-shirt and then ran into the water.

"You guys have fun. I need a break." Atria squeezed the water from her indigo hair as she made her way back to the shore. Al really tried not to stare at her. He sat down in the sun, stripping off his shirt.

"Al you coming?" Scorpius shouted.

"In a few minutes." He hollered back. Atria sat down next to him, grinning. Al watched as Rose tried to get on Scorpius's shoulders and Amanda skillfully got on James's. He felt a tingling in the back of his neck and looked over just in time to catch Atria look away from his naked chest.

Yea, he was definitely the most muscular in their group, which was odd because he was a seeker.

"So…" She drew out.

He looked at her quizzically. Was she initiating communication with him? That was certainly a first.

"What?" He stretched his arms behind his head, daring her to look at his flexing muscles. And he could feel when her gaze landed on him. He pressed his lips together, trying not to grin like a maniac. He gave her a long, lazy look.

She glared at him. A minute later she spoke, "You ready for exams?"

"Um… no." He laughed.

"If we don't pass, we can't take next years class and get a N.E.W.T. Are you worried about failing any of them?"

"No. I dropped all the classes I wasn't good at or didn't want to take after O.W.L.'s." He shrugged. Sure, he was only taking six N.E.W.T. classes, which was normal for most students, but not in his family of overachievers. Atria had started out taking eleven N.E.W.T. classes but had dropped two and was still taking three more than he was.

"What do you want to do?"

He rubbed his jaw. Amanda and James just took down Rose and Scorpius. Then Rose pushed Scorpius back under the water, dunking him.

"I like the idea of working with my hands." He finally said, and for some reason it felt like an admission.

"That leaves a lot of options." She told him seriously.

"I was thinking Architecture." Atria raised her eyebrows at him. He knew that if she could only raise one, she would have. He thought it was funny to watch her struggle to raise one eyebrow or wink without the other eye blinking.

"That's interesting. What N.E.W.T.'s do you need for that?"

"Are you coming in?" James called impatiently.

"In a minute." Atria didn't look away from Al. Her eyes were really bright purple today.

"You can go." Al told her.

"So why architecture? It isn't like how muggles do it."

He turned around to face the castle. "Look at where we live. Can you imagine getting to design a place like this. Putting in all the secret passageways, knowing that someday, someone's going to find them? Discover all the secrets that you hid?" He already had designs in his head for a summer boarding house and an addition the the joke shop in Diagon Alley. He realized Atria hadn't said anything while he was musing in his head, she just stared at him.

And for once it wasn't in contempt.

"Did you know James had tryouts last weekend?"

"Yea, I actually cornered him Sunday and beat it out of him." She said and her tone made him think she was serious, but the twinkle in her eye said otherwise. She ran her fingers through her long hair that was starting to get more purple. Her eyes were now a discerning yellow, that would have looked legitimately scary on anyone else. It reminded him of a werewolf and that made him feel a little bit like prey.

"Did you make yourself tanner?" He asked glancing over her legs. All of the visible skin was tinted a little bit darker than her usual pale features.

"Maybe. Besides it's almost summer and I won't be getting a tan in Romania." She snapped, though he wasn't sure why. He didn't sound hostile or mean, did he?

"Maybe when we're in Spain for Teddy and Victoire's wedding." He suggested. "Although will you be back for that?"

"I'll be working with Charlie, who is Victoire's godfather. I don't think he's going to want to miss that. I'll just come back back with him."

"Oh right." He ruffled his hair. "And that's what you want to do? Work with dragons." He clarified. Atria shrugged.

"I don't know if I specifically want to work with dragons, but I like animals."

"How's Jinx?" He remember the fluffy little kitten he had gotten her for her birthday.

"She's grown." She grinned. "But she's a beauty." They sat in silence for a few minutes watching as Amanda and James took down Rose and Scorpius.

"Atria, you can take my place." Rose growled, pushing red hair off her face, marching out of the water. Scorpius scoffed and ran his fingers through his hair, like he couldn't believe what just happened. Al hadn't really been paying close attention, so he wasn't sure what happened. either. He followed Atria up though and caught Rose as she stormed away.

"It's not my fault I'm not a quidditch star." She huffed as Attie waded out into the water to join Scorpius.

"Come on, be my partner. We'll kick their arses." Al grabbed Rosie's hands.

"No we won't." Rose glared at him and folded her arms. James and Amanda took down Atria and Scorpius.

"Hey mates, let's switch it up." Albus hollered to the two boys.

"No!" James cried. Amanda rolled her eyes.

"Yes!" Scorpius countered. "I'll take Amanda."

"Like hell." James puffed up his chest.

"Sure Scorpius." Amanda gave James a teasing smile and he glared back. "Rose, you go with James and Attia can go with Al." Albus smirked at Atria who glared at him. Rose ran her tongue over her teeth and then flicked it out.

"Fine." She stomped through the water, splashing Scorpius as she went.

"Ready." Al held out his hand to Atria.

"As I'll ever be." She muttered and Al dunked under the water, gripping Atria's hands as she climbed onto his shoulders. When he surfaced, she was sitting on his shoulders, balancing with his hands. Amanda was already on Scorpius's shoulders and Rose was struggling to get on James's shoulders. When she was on, James shouted, "Attack!"

"Kick him in the shins!" Atria shouted at Al. She grabbed Rose's arm and pulled her into the water, unfortunately leaving her back open for Amanda to push her forward.

"Damnit! Why are you so good at this?" James sputtered as he came up from under Rose. Amanda pumped her fists in the air in victory.

"Skill." She laughed and fell back, off of Scorpius's shoulders.

"You are not strong." He told Atria. She spit lake water into his face.

"That's why I'm a great seeker." She sneered and he was a bit taken back. This is why he couldn't let his guard down around her, because even if she looked like an angel, she never let him forget that she wasn't.

"Whatever." He pushed away from her and thought he saw guilt flash across her face. But it was gone in a second. This was the side of her that no one else seemed to see - the side that could be mean and spiteful just for the fun of it. She liked that she was good at everything, and like reminded everyone else that they would never be as good as her. She especially liked reminding him why he would never be as good as her.

Rose and James didn't seem to get it, probably because they didn't care enough. Rose was top of their class, but only because Atria didn't feel like trying. She could have been quidditch captain, but she didn't feel like putting in the effort, it just came naturally to her.

Albus threw his hand across the water in frustration, splashing Amanda.

"Hey!" She cried.

"Sorry." He muttered and rubbed his jaw. She was already talking with James like nothing had happened. "I'm going to swim." He told Scorpius, who was too occupied with Rose to notice.

"... seriously that uncoordinated?"

"Yes! I'm not built like an athlete. Unlike you guys, I haven't been training…" Rose's voice drifted away as he went under water.

Atria and James were sitting on the grass under the tree watching the others in the water.

"You're graduating in ten days." Atria said.

"I know." James sighed. "I definitely thought we'd be dating by now."

Atria burst out laughing. She laughed so hard, her eyes started watering.

"I at least thought we would've snogged by now." James shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I doubt my boyfriend would be happy with that." Attie wrapped her arms around herself, thinking about Justin.

"I thought you were going to dump him." James gave her a knowing looked. Atria let out a long breath before speaking.

"Yea, well it's difficult-"

"Attie?" Justin's voice floated in from behind her. She cringed and was already mentally going through ways to explain.

She jumped up, turning around as she went. "Justin-"

"You want to break up?" He frowned. She opened her mouth to speak, but found that for once she didn't have anything to say. Atria nodded. Justin looked crushed and she immediately felt guilty for not doing this sooner.

"I like you, but it's not realistic for us to date after you graduate. We would never see each other." She pleaded for him to understand and forgive her.

"We could make it work." He said weakly.

She gave him at low look and saw James grinning in the corner of her eye. "I'm not sure if we could. And if neither of us wants to put in the work, it wouldn't last long even if we did continue. I don't want to hold you down." He scoffed and she looked up.

"Let's not pretend you're doing this for me."

"You're right. It's not just for you. But it's true, I don't want to hold you back and I know you don't want to trap me either." James gave a low whistle.

"Is that how you feel? Trapped." Justin looked hurt.

"No! But that's how we would both feel if we stayed together." Atria tried to will him to understand. She wanted to part on good terms, and she's thought Justin would agree with her.

"Maybe we could talk." He said shortly and glanced at James. "Alone." James made no move to leave. Justin looked at Atria imploringly

"Sure." She folded her arms and followed him to the stairs leading to the castle.

"Have you been wanting to do this for a while?"

"No. I love being with you but I don't think I want to put in the effort to make it work."

"So dating me was just convenient?" Justin demanded.

Attie sighed. "No. But I think we've lost our spark." If there was a spark to begin with, she thought. Justin ran his fingers through his hair, reminding her a bit of Albus or James. Then he rubbed a few circles on his chest and looked at James. And then looked at the others in the lake. "Are you going to say something?" His silence gave her the tingles.

"Is there someone else?"

"What? No." She shook her head.

"No?" He seemed suspicious and she couldn't imagine why.

"Of course not?" She glared at him. "Where did you even get that idea?" He looked back out to the lake and she rolled her eyes. "You think I like one of them?"

"You're with them all the time. You blow me off to be with them!" His voice rose and it started to piss her off.

"NO!" Atria growled. "If they need help I'm there for them. Because they're my friends."

"Whatever." He scoffed.

"I can't believe this!" She knew it was childish but she stomped her foot in frustration.

"I guess it's a good thing we're not together anymore then." He sneered and it was so unexpected she took a step back. "Also I found this in your bag." He pulled out a piece of parchment. What…? Oh shit, it was the list. They girls had made copies of it a few days ago and were going to hand them out when boys distributed theirs'.

"Justin…"

"I thought maybe you were holding it for a friend, but I guess not. I never thought you were this shallow." He swallowed hard. "And I'm number eleven. I'm not sure why you were even dating me if you don't think I'm top ten."

"This wasn't just my list! Other girls were involved, just like how the boys do their list. And we weren't just judging based on looks." She said defensively.

"But all you friends are in the top ten."

"I just happen to have attractive friends." She mumbled, not really wanting to say that out loud.

"So I'm not attractive enough for you?"

"That's not what I said! You won't even listen to me!"

"You're not saying anything!" Justin countered. A underclassmen walked around them quickly, with his head down. Great, they were scaring the children. She grabbed the list from his hands, crunching it in her own.

"I'm bored" She exclaimed. "Our relationship was going nowhere and that's while we see each other every day! Imagine if we only saw each other once a month. It would never last so I'm doing us both a favor and cutting loose. It's truly not you, it's me. I'm not into you anymore." She said and then left his stand there with glassy eyes. Yeah, she had just done a job on his ego. Her weapon of choice being a wrecking ball.

James leaned away from her when she threw herself down with a huff.

"I'm assuming that didn't go well." James had the gall to look amused.

"The nerve!"

"What's that?" He motioned to the parchment. She handed it to him, not really caring at this point if he saw it or not. He looked it over and then gasped.

"I'm number five!" He cried indignantly.

"Apparently." She really didn't care.

"Albus is number four! And Scorpius is the first! That's rubbish."

"That's how the girls of Hogwarts feel." Atria shrugged.

"Freddie is number eight."

"Yep. And we took into account more than just looks."

"That explains why Scorpius is first. Hah, Justin's eleventh."

"Scorpius was actually first in looks as well. But you were up there." She grinned, a little smug at his horror.

"Who else was involved in this atrocity?"

"A few of the girls who were on the boys list from last year." She gave him a knowing look and he had the good sense to look guilty. "Rose." She said, adding salt to the wound.

"My own cousin." He shook his head. "How did Al beat me?" He asked in amazement.

"He's fit and apparently nice to everyone but me." She leaned back on her forearms, soaking in the sun. Even though it was almost summer the air was still chilly.

"And Sal? He's barely been here and he's number three?"

"He's gorgeous." Atria sighed.

"I can't wait to get out of this nuthouse."

**I have left Spain and have to upload like three new chapters! I cannot apologize enough for the hugely long wait! If it makes you feel better things are about to get interesting! - Alex**


	16. Kisses and Kills

Albus was in a state of shock. "How is this possible?"

"Apparently, you're hot stuff with the girls of Hogwarts." Atria shrugged. They were in the library studying one last time for their DADA exam which was tomorrow. It was the last exam of the week and Atria felt so unprepared. Potions had been a breeze, charms was easy, and Care of Magical creatures was fun, but DADA was dreadful.

Atria had been trained in the Dark Arts, not Defense Against the Dark art. And it was getting more and more difficult to hide this from everyone, as the death eaters, her mother, had been very active these past few months. Everyone was speculating about what they wanted and who they followed, what their goal was, but Attie knew the truth… that they simply wanted things to go back to the way they were. Purebloods in charge, they only wanted power.

And she wasn't even sure that was what her mother wanted. Atria was sure her mother wanted what she had once wanted, her mother's approval. She wanted to feel some connection to Bellatrix Lestrange.

"I can't believe I beat James thought." He shook his head. Atria had been sorta surprised as well, but there it was. "And Scorpius is the most eligible bachelor in Hogwarts." This time he had to laugh.

"So is Rose." Atria picked at her nails.

"Yea, but that's not a surprise."

"No?"

"Nah, lots of guys think she's fit."

"Lot's of girls think Scorpius is fit."

"And then there's you and me, resting at number four."

"I'm surprised I was that high on the list." Atria admitted. Albus was shocked at the humility in her voice.

"You don't think you're pretty?" Because Al thought she was gorgeous, so uniquely beautiful.

"It's not that. It's just I know I can be a little… overbearing." She shrugged and caught sight of Jenny, Scorpius's ex, sneaking looks at Albus. Seriously? She was checking out her ex's best friends, how low could you get? It made Atria extremely happy when Jenny had been bumped from number eight to number fourteen.

Even Lily beat her and Lily was a fourth year. Amanda was number nine, which surprised me because I had always considered her to be better than me in the bloke department.

"Who are you glaring at?" Albus turned around and Jenny quickly looked away, pretending to study. "She studies?" The genuine surprise in his voice made me laugh.

"No. She pretends to study so she can covertly check out fit boys." Duh.

"She was looking at me?" His cheeks flushed a bit.

"Yea, and you should see how girls have been treating Scorpius. Do guys put as much stock in the list as girls seem to?" Atria wondered what would happen to Rose if that was true.

"I don't know. I don't help with creating the list."

"You don't?" Atria demanded.

"Nope, I leave that to the others. Freddie doesn't either."

"Oh." Jenny was back to staring at Al, now that he had turned his back again. "Seriously, she graduates in two days, what does she think is going to happen in two days.?"

"I don't think a has full romantic episode in mind." Albus whispered and Atria giggled. "More like a short episode in a broom closet." She ducked her head to hide her laughter and Al shook his head.

"There's like… fifty other guys that she could go for. Why does it have to be her ex's best friend?"

"Because I'm number four." He said smugly.

"And she dated number one." Atria countered and smirked when he frowned.

"Do you think Scorpius is the most attractive bloke in school?" Albus looked up at her through his eyelashes. The were leaning together slightly, and the textbook in her lap seemed so uncomfortable now, like it was getting in the way of something.

"He's attractive." Attie shrugged. "But I'm not into blondes." Her voice dropped to that of a whisper and she felt as though something was pulling her forward. His eyes, maybe. They were so green. She wasn't sure she could achieve that green even with her metamorphing.

"And what are you into?" He whispered back and was it her imagination or was he leaning closer as well? "Blue hair, purple eyes?" He was mocking her.

"No," She replied breathlessly. "And what about you? What do you find attractive?" Their noses were only a few inches apart now and he seemed to be tilting his head unconsciously. Or maybe he was doing it consciously. Was he going to-

"Hey Albus!" The spell was broke and Albus glared up at Jenny, who was standing there with a fake smile and her hands clasped in front of her innocently. "Can I interrupt?"

"Actually-"

"I was just leaving." Atria cut off Albus, who gave her a look. Like _you're throwing me to the wolves?, _that kind of look. Atria hid a grin.

"I'll see you later." Albus demanded and she could imagine the words he would have for her. She put away her books and shouldered her bag and left the library. She could feel Albus's gaze on her back and she resisted the urge to turn around.

Later, Albus found her and chewed her out. She had been on the way to the Astronomy Tower while everyone else was at dinner, to study one last time.

"How could you leave me like that?" He demanded, blocking her way down the stairs. With hi two steps bellow her, she was looking down on him. His head was tilted back, so his hair wasn't in his eyes. Rose thought he need a haircut, but Atria though it looked better grown out.

"What do you mean?" She played with the end of her blue hair and bit her bottom lip.

"You know what I mean." He stepped in her way when she tried to go around him. She went down another step, getting in his personal space. He stretched his arms wide, placing both hands on the banisters, effectively blocking the path. "She is like an octopus, wrapping her tentacles all around her prey, until they suffocate." He shuddered and she had to laugh. He looked at her and then chuckled.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"On my way to the Astronomy Tower to study." She tried to push his chest, but he wouldn't budge. Damnit, she may be a gifted witch, but Al could beat her with brute strength every time.

"Why were you coming from the second corridor?" He asked.

"Had to go to the charms classroom for a moment." Now that she was only one step above him, he was taller than her once again, and they were standing so close together their bodies were practically touching.

Then the staircase shifted. Atria grabbed onto Albus so she wouldn't fall over at the sudden movement. She gripped his biceps and the staircase came to a halt and Al gripped the stone banisters to they both wouldn't tumble over.

"Come on." Albus led her off the stairs before it shifted again.

"I was going to study-"

"We'll study in here." He motioned to an empty classroom down whatever corridor they had landed on.

"You don't have to stay with me." She bit her lip, thinking he couldn't really want to study with her instead of having dinner with his friends.

"You're not the only one who needs to study for the DADA exam tomorrow. It's the only exam I have a possibility of getting an O on." He looked distressed suddenly, a change from his mood a few moments ago. "Not that you would know about that." He muttered, but it wasn't hostile. When had that changed? Once upon a time, everything he said to her was hostile.

"Of course I do." Atria snapped defensively.

"You don't." He chuckled and shook his head. He passed into the empty classroom and I followed. We threw our bags down on a desk. "It's alright. I've accepted it. Although I always wondered how you did it. How do you manage to be the best in our year and only do the bare minimum? How do you beat Rose, who studies for hours, and Scorpius?" He crossed his arms and leaned against a desk, which squeaked under his weight.

There was no easy way to answer that. "I was homeschooled. Most wizards start real school when they're eleven but I started much earlier. You claim I don't study, but once upon a time I did. My parents were strict about my studies. Potions was really the only thing I enjoyed, so I read a lot of books on that. They didn't really consider Care of Magical Creature worthwhile and Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't high on their priorities either." Atria smirked at herself.

"They didn't think defense was important?"

Atria shuffled a bit, standing a few feet in front of him. "Well, I studied a lot of charms." She shrugged. "I don't study now, because I spent years studying. I study the things I don't know, but considering I know a lot, I don't have to study a lot." Atria tried not to sound conceited but it was true.

"Were your parents strict?" Albus looked a bit unsure as if he should ask about her parents.

"Yes, they were. They wanted me to be strong and a brilliant witch. At the time it seemed like hell, and I guess it was, but in the end, it's made me more powerful." Atria flushed at how much she had given away. One look into his eyes and she would have told him anything… well, almost anything.

"How… what happened to them?" He wanted to ask how they died, but thought better of it. It couldn't be easy for her to talk about. She looked at her feet and played with the ends of her hair, now turning a dark blue.

"My father was killed by a Death Eater." She said after a moment.

"Merlin, Attie, I'm sorry, if I had known-"

"It's alright. I know everyone's been really curious as to how your father found me and what I was doing." She took a step closer to him, reaching for his hand. He unfolded his arms and gave it to her.

He opened her hand and turned the palm up and then ran his finger all the way from her wrist to the tip of her middle finger. She especially concentrated on keeping her dark mark hidden. That was not something she ever wanted him to see. She shivered.

"Do you miss them?" He whispered, leaning forward a bit. He continued to massage her hand and it made it difficult for her to concentrate.

"I hardly ever think about them." She exhaled softly as his hand trailed up her arm. It was a struggle to keep her eyes from fluttering closed. "I love your family." She whispered and this time, couldn't keep her eyes from closing as his hand went back down her arm, and up again, this time landing on her cheek.

Atria leaned into hand and reached for his bicep. His head moved closer to her and then he kissed her.

She jerked back, with her eyes wide. Albus's eyes flew open in shock and he looked confused at what had just happened.

"We shouldn't." Atria let out a long breath.

Albus bit the inside of his cheeks. "Of course, I was being stupid-"

"It's not that."

"Then, what?"

"In two days I leave for Romania and I'm not interesting in a quick snog session. And remember what you and Scorpius said? About not wanting to be tied down over summer because you wouldn't see them for two months?" He looked like he want to protest, but Atria just plowed on. "And you were right. I just broke up with Justin-"

"You finally broke up with him?" The surprise in his voice upset her. She pulled away from his reach.

"You thought I would… do all that, if I still had a boyfriend?" She glared at him and took a few more steps back. He followed her.

"No, of course not," He shook his head, "I didn't think. I just didn't know it was official. James and Amanda have been speaking about you wanting to do it for a while."

"Well, I did it. I'm surprised you haven't heard James singing about it in the hallways." She laughed without humor. "I did it because I didn't want to put in the effort over the summer. We would be apart a lot and I didn't care about him enough to try. I suppose I followed Scorpius's advice."

"But I'm not Justin." Albus argued, like he was willing her to believe him.

"I know." She smiled sadly. "You should go. I don't think I'll get any studying done if you're here." He nodded, looking rather dejected. He took a step closer and she crossed her arms and turned her head away.

"I'll see you at graduation I suppose."

"Yea."

Graduation was boring, per usual. Atria had gone to other graduations and it was basically a speech from the Heads, the headmistress, the heads of houses, and then announcing every seventh year's name. Parents were there, all seated in lines of white chairs. Atria sat with the Wotters, as far away from Albus as she could sit, and they all jumped up when James and Freddie's names were called.

"Oh darling, we are so proud of you." Ginny threw her arms around James. Families everywhere were hugging their children and celebrating.

"Pay up." Lily held her hand out to Hugo, who forfeited some of his money. Hermione frowned. Lily answered her unspoken question. "Hugo bet me that they wouldn't both graduate." She said cheekily.

"Thanks mate." Freddie glared at his younger cousin.

"I'm surprised as well." George muttered and received a backhand from Angelina.

"Honestly," huffed James.

"So do you think we'll all graduate," He whose name she did not want to say said. And of course he had to ruffle his hair.

"I don't know." Lily looked thoughtful. "I'm sure you all will. You guys are boring." She complained.

"Ahhhh!" An awful shriek came from a nearby mum. She was pointing at the castle, a look of sheer terror on her face. Everyone followed her finger and saw…

The Dark Mark. It was over the castle and that meant… someone had been killed.

"Harry," Ron gripped his wand.

"Let's go." Harry Potter growled and charged off to the castle.

"Oh, Hermione," McGonagall made her way through the throng of terrified people. "We need to get everyone into the castle."

"The castle might not be the best place right now, professor." Ginny said. "Considering there's a Dark ,Mark over it and all."

"Where else shall everyone go?"

"Hogsmeade." James suggested. "From there everyone can go home."

"No." McGonagall shook her head. "We need everyone to remain here until we get to the bottom of this."

"The Room of Requirement. We could fit the whole school in there, if that's what we need." Rose offered. "But we do have to go into the castle. And the students in the castle might not know." She bit her lip and wrung her hands, similar to what Hermione was doing.

"We'll just have to make do." McGonagall pulled out her wand and put it to her throat. "If everyone could please move towards the castle we will gather all the students and guests. Please followed us." Her voice boomed over all the squabbling people. "There is a safe room in the castle." She added, when people made protests about going towards the castle.

"Why don't you and Atria go around back and make sure we don't lose anyone." Hermione told her daughter, then turned to James and Albus. "You go somewhere in the middle of the pack, try to connect with the heads. Or perhaps, Attie, you should talk with Justin-"

"No, that's okay." Atria said quickly and pulled Rose away. Hermione looked at Al and James.

"They had a bit of a falling out." James said cheerfully. Albus couldn't help but think about what occurred two nights ago. They had kissed, for about a half of a second, and everything seemed right. It was difficult to believe that something so horrific could happen after something so amazing. But it had only been about two minutes of amazing and then Atria ruined it anyways.

"James, it's not appropriate to be grinning while there is a Dark Mark over the school." Albus hissed, taking his brother's arm.

"Freddie you stay here." McGonagall told him and Hermione nodded.

Once they were behind the mob of people, Atria's brain started cranking. It wasn't possible that Death Eaters could have gotten in the school. At least, not without help. Which meant a student or teacher had to be helping Death Eaters.

And the number one suspect would be Atria if they ever figured out who she was. "Bloody hell." She muttered and Rose nodded, not knowing what she was thinking. The snake moved through the mouth of the skull. Atria remember the day she learned how to conjure the Dark Mark. It was around the same time when she got her Dark Mark.

Yeah, this was definitely not good. And it made her glad that she never revealed her identity to anyone.

"Please keep moving forward!" Roe shouted as people were hesitant to go into the castle.

Harry and Ron came out of the castle a moment later and quickly went to Hermione. There were quick words exchanged and then George Weasley joined them, along with Roxanne and Angelina. They had gotten lost in the chaos of screaming people.

It was sort of a blur, going through hallways, nervous parents clutching their children, other students joining us, and then the mysterious door opening to a room large enough to hold every.

"Dad, what happened?" Al asked his father, and there was a tone of despair that made Atria's heart wrench.

"There's a body in the second corridor on the third floor." Harry told them.

"Who is it?" Hermione whispered, gripping Ron's hand, with her arm wrapped around Hugo. Scorpius was standing next to Rose, who was gripping his forearm.

Harry just shook his head.

"We don't know, Mione." Ron said sullenly.

"What do you mean?" George hissed, and Atria couldn't remember the last time he had sounded so serious.

"The body was sort of… mangled." Harry choked out. "It was a younger student, given the size though." McGonagall's lips thinned out and her hands shook.

"How did this happen?" Scorpius asked what everyone was thinking. "Death Eaters couldn't have gotten into the castle - not without help."

"So we have a traitor amongst us." James hissed.

"I can't think of any student or teacher who be working with the Death Eaters." Rose shook her head. But Atria could.

Salvatore. He arrive shortly after the attacks started and he had been "homeschooled," like her. Of course, she could hardly voice her suspicions without revealing herself. No one else would be suspicious of him, because the only reason she was, was because his background that was similar to her's.

And Rose would never forgive her if she turned out to be wrong.

"Scorpius your father is coming to look at the body, he'll want to speak with you." Harry told him. There seemed to be a vacuum in the room that was sucking out all the life. Scorpius barely moved and everyone else seemed to be lacking in emotion. Like it was all too much so their brains stopped processing.

"How long are we staying here for?" Atria asked, biting her thumb nail.

"I don't know." Harry shook his head. "Until we take a head count, and make sure the place is secure." Speaking of doing a head count, Atria didn't see Amanda standing with the rest of the sixth year Slytherin girls. She looked around hoping to see the familiar head of brown hair, but nope, Atria couldn't find her.

"Bloody hell!" She whipped around frantically, trying to see through the mass of people.

"What?" George was the only one who seemed to hear her.

"Where's Amanda? I can't see Amanda." Her voice grew panicked. She couldn't think about what would happen if her mother, or any other Death Eaters, got their hands on Amanda.

"I don't see her." James looked as if death had washed over if. He was the tallest and if he couldn't see her, that meant that she probably wasn't in the room.

"Dad!" Rose cried panickedly.

"We'll find her." He told his daughter.

"If they've hurt her…" Atria trailed off and she could feel her eyes going black and her hair going red. "I will kill them." She finished, her words spoken so coldly, that Albus had to take a step back from her. Everyone was a bit shocked by her words.

"We'll find her." Harry said in response.

"I'm coming." Jame said fiercely.

"No, you're not."

"Dad, I'm seventeen and I just graduated. There is nothing you can do to stop me." James told him and then walked towards the door without looking back.

"We're coming as well." Scorpius said and Rose nodded.

"Absolutely not." Ron snapped. "You may be seventeen but you haven't graduated yet and... I'm your father." He added to Rose.

"Not my father," Scorpius muttered as Ron and Harry rushed after James.

"Exactly. We might let our children go, but we've got no right to let you go as well." Hermione glared at him.

"Then I'm going." Atria whipped her wand out.

"No, you're not." Ginny scoffed.

"You can't stop me. I'm seventeen."

"You live under my roof…" Ginny said.

"I don't have to."

No one said anything. Albus didn't think she was serious. She couldn't be. Where else would she go?

"Atria." Ginny groaned and buried her face in her palms. "Alright."

"What?" McGonagall, Rose, Scorpius, and Albus exclaimed.

"She's right. I've got no right to keep her here. She's not my child and she's seventeen." Ginny said heatedly, like she wasn't happy about it.

"Then I'm going as well." Scorpius demanded and strutted after Atria, who was in the process of leaving the Room of Requirement.

"They let you go?" Atria raised her eyebrows.

"They didn't have a choice." He replied darkly as they stalked into the hallway. "Where would she be?"

"I don't know." Atria shook her head. The hall was empty and she hadn't seen where James, Harry, or Ron had went. "Not the library. Not any classroom, I think."

"The Great Hall, for lunch." Scorpius suggested.

"No, it's too late for lunch." Atria bit her lip. "Maybe the kitchens!"

"Let's go."

She was lying in a corridor adjacent to the kitchens. Atria and Scorpius raced over, both falling to their knees over her body.

"Oh Merlin, is she alive?" Scorpius breathed hard and Atria put two fingers to Amanda's throat.

"Barley." Atria whispered and then caught sight of her friends forearm. There were black lines and blood coming from a nasty looking cut that was barely a centimeter longer. It looked like she had just been poked with a knife, which meant it was…

"Poisoned. She's been poisoned." Atria inspected the wound. "Send a patronus to… anyone, really. We need to get her to St. Mungo's. Immediately." She looked at the lines and the blue skin around the cut. "Bloodroot poison. If we don't get an antidote, it will spread through her body, paralyzing as it goes, and when it reaches her heart… she will die." Scorpius had difficulty casting the patronus, given the grave circumstances.

"Hurry." Attie hissed, rummaging through her bag, looking for something that would slow down the effects.

"Not easy to think happy thoughts right now." Scorpius gritted out, but managed to cast his eagle and it went soaring away in a silver mist. "Do you have anything?" He knelt back down, looking at Amanda's blue lips.

"No." Atria shook her head frantically and threw her bag behind her. An idea struck her. "Maybe I can summon the poison out of her." She brushed Amanda's hair out of her face.

"Is that even possible?"

"I don't know. Maybe it'll slow down the spread throat the blood veins. The problem is that it's no doubt attached itself to some of her blood. I don't want to risk her losing too much blood. She's weak enough as is." Atria licked her lips and held her wand above the cut. "Accio Bloodroot poison." She said, willing for it to work. Slowly blood started to seep from her cut and it kept coming.

"Did it work?" Scorpius propped Amanda's head in his lap.

"I hope so." Atria muttered. "We need Phoenix tears." She gasped.

"I don't have any lying around." Scorpius said sarcastically. A second later James turned into the corridor.

"Amanda!" He screamed and ran until he slid to his knees. "What… how…" He couldn't complete a sentence.

"Bloodroot poison." Scorpius said shortly, as Harry and Ron arrived. "Atria managed to extract it from the blood stream but…"

"Accio Phoenix tears." Atria hissed and that earned her a few looks. She didn't waste time explaining and after a few seconds Harry opened his mouth. And then there was a whisking sound and a tiny vial flew into her hand.

"You just happen to have Phoenix tears lying around?" Scorpius's jaw was on the floor. Atria tapped the vial over Amanda's wound and two drops came out. The wounds started to sew back together and the little black lines retreated. Her coloring was still of and she still looked on death's doorstep.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Ron asked.

"Because she's weak from the aftereffects of the poison and went I extracted it from her bloodstream, she lost a lot of blood with the poison." Atria said quickly and then began to inspect her friend. "It did work." She assured James, who was still looking very frightened.

"Where did you get the tears?" Harry asked.

"I've had them for a while." Atria said. "Just been waiting for the proper moment."

"You saved her life." Scorpius smiled.

"We'll see. I may have saved her life, but Bloodroot can have permanent effects, depending on how far it spread. Given the length of the black lines spreading from the cut, the poison hadn't gone very far, but it'll be difficult to tell until she wakes up." Atria felt Amanda's pulse and was relieved to find that it had sped up slightly, but it was still beating erratically, no doubt trying to fight off the poison. "She needs to go to Mungo's." She told Harry.

"We'll floo her through McGonagall's fireplace." Harry said and James picked her up.

"Careful." Scorpius muttered. James glared at him.

"I can't possibly leave now." Atria mumbled.

"Amanda wouldn't want you to miss out on the dragons." Scorpius shook his head. "She knows how much you've been wanting this and how long you've waited. Besides, you've done everything you can."

"But how can I leave if we don't even know what's going to happen?"

"We know she's going to live, that's all that matters. Rose and I will owl you if anything changes." Scorpius put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Atria sighed.

"We don't even know who did this."

"The aurors will find them and they will go to Azkaban." Scorpius assured her. "Everytime they do something, they leave behind a clue."

"That means we'll need more bodies turning up before we catch them." Atria snapped and ran her fingers through her red hair. "And we don't even know who the other student is."

"We'll know that within the hour." Harry inserted. Up until then he and Ron had been speaking in low tones.

"I still want to know who did it." Atria argued.

"Well, one thing's for sure… the Death Eaters have an inside man. Someone at Hogwarts who is willing to kill for their cause."

**Not much to say other than this all belongs to J.K. Rowling and I think I'm going to ditch the first person with Atria. -Alex**


	17. The Dragon and the Letters

"YOU'RE MAD!" Charlie shouted over the roars of the Peruvian Vipertooth, that was currently trying to barbecue them alive.

"I just want to get some of its venom!" Atria shouted back, ducking behind a tree.

"Ginny already wants to eat me alive because I let you out of the lab and now, not only do you want to see them in person, but you want to go up to one?" He hissed, throwing up a shield charm.

"Exactly!" Atria grinned and Charlie huffed.

"I don't let my experienced interns do that, much less a seventeen year old girl." Atria ducked and rolled to avoid the dragon's angry fire.

"Yea, but that's why you let me out of the lab. Because I'm so much better than your other interns." She said arrogantly and Charlie couldn't argue. So he had agreed to let her out into field, thinking she's stay behind the barriers and not actually have contact with the dragons.

But nooo, of course not. She didn't even last a day before she went out right into the thick of it. Amazingly, she had managed not to be killed. And so here they were, one month in and once again, Atria wanted to take it one step further.

"You're too smug for your own good." Charlie rubbed his temple.

"Look, we're trying to get the little girl back into her cage. I'll just get some venom while you're distracting it." Atria shrugged. No big deal. Charlie palmed his face and tried to stun the dragon.

"If you get bitten…"

"If I get bitten by a dragon, forget the venom, I'll be more worried about blood loss and losing a limb." Atria smirked and looked at the scaly beast that was sniffing them out. "Can you stun her?"

"Only if I had a giant wand." Charlie rolled his eyes. "Or ten other wands."

"Where are all your other workers?" Atria whispered.

"This was a distress call and you were the only one with me."

"Lucky me." And she actually said that without sarcasm.

"Alright, try to get under it while I _stupefy _it." Atria nodded and crouched low. "And try not to die." Charlie snapped quietly. Atria rolled her eyes, remembering that release form she had been forced to sign saying that the Ministry of Magic was in no way responsible for injury or death, and confirming she was of age. This was why.

Yet she could contain her excitement as she went round the dragon, hearing it's tail whip through some trees. Seconds later, two trees fell down and she had to hold in her gasp. Thank Merlin, it was summer and there wasn't snow on the ground, otherwise this would be really hard.

When she heard Charlie yell, "_Stupefy!"_ She ran out from the tree and lept onto the dragon's tail.

"Oh shit!" She gasped when the Vipertooth started to swing its tail. She pushed down the puke threatening to come up and tried to wiggle her way up to its body. The Vipertooth got more frantic with its movements and she gripped the backbones and spikes hard so she wouldn't be thrown into a tree.

Charlie yelled some more charms, a for a second the dragon seemed stunned. She took the small opportunity to climb up to it's head. That seemed to wake the dragon up and it let out a breath of fire and Atria pulled her arm away from where she had been trying to stick the needle to extract its venom.

She let out a small cry and clutched her arm, where there were now excruciatingly painful burns. "Damnit." Her grip on the syringe tightened and she hoped it wouldn't break under the pressure. The dragon took a few deep breaths and Charlie stunned it again.

Atria jabbed the needle into the dragon's gums, right about a tooth and pulled the handle back, taking its venom. The dragon roared and clamped down. She yanked her hand back and fell to the ground in a loud thud.

Her entire body hurt, but she rolled over to avoid the Vipertooth eating her. A pain struck her arm and she glanced down. There was a small bite on her forearm, the one without the Dark Mark, surrounded by burned flesh.

_When did that happen? _She wondered. _Just now or when the little angel tossed me off her head?_

Either way it was bad.

"Atria!" Charlie skidded to her side and kneeled down next to her. "What happened?" He breathed heavily.

"Where's Marissa?" She choked, clutching her arm.

"Who?" Charlie grabbed her arm.

"The Vipertooth." She clarified.

"You mean the one who just burned and poisoned you?" Charlie pointed his wand at the wound.

"Yea. Think she'd make a good pet?" Atria joked and then hissed, trying to jerk her arm away.

"She flew away. Stay still." He gripped her arm tighter. "I thought I told you to be careful."

"Technically, you told me not to die." She tried to laugh but it ended up sounding pained and choked. He gave her a rye look. Black invaded the edges of her vision. "I think I'm going to pass out."

"We need to get you to a hospital." His voice sounded far away and her arm no longer hurt.

"It doesn't hurt." She whispered.

"Try to stay awake."

She fainted.

Rose was waiting outside Amanda's bedroom door, waiting anxiously to go in. She had woken up two weeks ago but wasn't strong enough to go home until two days ago. Yesterday, Mr. Malfoy finally gave her parents the okay to take her home.

Rose looked around and smiled when she saw a picture of Amanda, probably only eight or nine years old, flying around the garden. Rose pushed her hair behind her ear.

"You can go in now." Amanda's mum, Violent, said.

"Oh, thank you." Rose ducked into the room and found Amanda sitting on her bed.

"Rose, how're you?" Amanda got up and hugged her. Rose gingerly hugged her back. "Stop treating me like I'm going to break," Amanda admonished, "I'm just lucky this didn't happen during Quidditch season."

"Honestly, I think your life is more important than Quidditch." Rose chastised. "Scorpius couldn't have held that against you."

"Maybe not, but he wouldn't have been happy. Although, with Atria on our team, I'm not sure it matters." Amanda rolled her eyes and sat back down on her peach colored bed set. Rose took the time to inspect her room and noted that it was normal. There were pictures on the walls and a jacket draped over her desk chair.

"I owled Attie to tell her you were out of the Hospital." Rose told Amanda.

"Scorpius told me the same thing." Amanda gave Rose a knowing look. "When was the last time you spoke to him or saw him?"

"I owled him two weeks ago when you woke up." Rose said defensively.

"You haven't seen him?" Amanda's mouth opened widely.

"There hasn't been a lot of time."

"It's summer." Amanda laughed.

"And we both have internships…"

"At the Ministry. Don't you see him there?" Amanda pressed on.

Rose shook her head. "No, I'm in the Department of International Cooperation and he's with my dad in the Auror office."

"Yea, you're like a whole… five floors away from each other." Amanda said sarcastically. Rose didn't reply. "Where's Al been? I haven't seen him in a week."

"He's been busy working at the joke shop."

"And James?" Amanda asked quietly.

"He's been at Quidditch practice."

"I was surprised when he chose to be a reserve for the Harpies instead of being at starter for Puddlemere." Amanda bit her lip, thinking about how much fun he must be having.

Rose looked surprised. "So you have spoke with him?"

"He owls me practically every other day to see how I'm doing. But he hadn't been to visit in a little while." Amanda looked out the window sullenly. Rose's eyes widened with realization and she forced herself to swallow the questions popping up.

"He has a practice match coming up. Maybe we could go see." Rose suggested.

"I thought they had closed practices?"

"James could probably get us in." Rose said slowly. "If you wanted." She added with a casual shrug.

"You can owl him about it." Amanda said noncommittally.

"Yea and maybe he'll know what's going on with Atria." Rose muttered.

Amanda frowned. "What do you mean? You said you owled her?"

Rose sighed. "I owled her two days ago and I still haven't heard anything." Rose looked at her hands folded in her lap. She was worried but didn't want to show it.

"Romania is a long ways away." Amanda didn't look too concerned. "Besides, she can handle herself."

Rose wasn't listening though. "What were they thinking? She's a seventeen year old who hasn't even graduated from school. And they want her to fight dragons!" Rose huffed.

"She's not fighting dragons she's studying them. And not even in person. She was working in a lab with different ingredients to see how potions react when you add certain parts of a dragon to it." Amanda said, leaning back against her pillow.

Rose shot her a worried look. "Am I tiring you out? You should rest."

"Rose I'm fine. Thanks to Atria." Amanda assured her. "Let's write a letter to James." She suggested and Rose ducked her head to hide a smile. "Get a piece of parchment from my desk." She motioned to the stack of paper on her simple wooden desk. Rose got up and grabbed a piece of paper and … a pen, and returned to the bed.

"Wait, get a book to write on." Amanda said pointing to a large book on her shelf. Rose grabbed it and sat down cross legged.

_Dear James, _

_Amanda and I are thinking about…_

"Wait, you can't just start of saying Amanda wants to go to your practice game. You have to do a little small talk first." Amanda hissed, as Rose wrote.

"Fine." Rose whipped out her wand and flicked it at the paper. The words disappeared.

_Dear James, _

_I hope Quidditch practice is going well. I'm at Amanda's house right now - she just got out of St. Mungo's. We were thinking it would be nice to visit you some time. I know you're busy, so Amanda and I were thinking we could come to the practice game against the Finches. Is there a way you could get us in? We can floo to a place in Wales and get to the stadium on our own. We hope to see you soon!_

_Love, _

_Amanda and Rose _

_P.S. Have you heard from Atria in the last few days? I sent her a letter and haven't heard. I know I'm probably being silly, and I know she's busy, but she's usually pretty up on her letters. And she's been so worried about Amanda. Let me know! Miss you, Jamie._

"Was it necessary to write 'love Amanda and Rose'?" Amanda scrunched up her nose as she read the letter.

"That's how I always sign when I talk to family." Rose frowned and took the note back. "Is your owl here?" Rose asked.

"Yea. Barnaby!" Amanda called out. An owl flew up to the window, squawking and flapping, pecking at the window. "Hold your hippogriffs." Amanda mumbled as she went over to the window, rolling up the letter as she went. "Take this to James Potter." She put the note in the owl's claw. The owl flew away.

Later that night, after Rose was long gone, Amanda heard a tapping on her window. She put her book down and opened the window for her owl. She took the note and yawned as she went back over to her bed. She glanced at the clock on her wall over the door. Eleven thirty nine. Was it that late already? Rose had left after lunch and Amanda had been reading ever since.

She unrolled the note.

_Dear Amanda, _

_I know this must be your owl since it's not Rose's and Rose has probably left by now. And I know you're at your house because obviously you shouldn't be traveling so soon. Although I hope you're feeling better. I was so worried when you wouldn't wake up… and I'm rambling. _

Amanda grinned and bit her thumb nail.

_Anyways, I would love to have you come to the game. You and Rose, that is. You both should come. The team manager says it's no problem as long as you don't take any photographs. Are you sure you're well enough to travel, though? You only just got out of the hospital and I don't want to stress you out. Tell Rose that I haven't heard from Attie in a week. She's probably alright through. You know how she is, nothing could hurt my girl!_

_Love, _

_James _

_P.S. Expect the tickets to come in a few days. _

Her smile dimmed at the 'my girl' part. But that was just how James was with Atria. No matter how many girls he hooked up with, she was always his endgame. Amanda sighed tossing the letter on the floor and slumped into her bed. She put her book on the nightstand, no longer in the mood to read a romance. After flicking the lamp off, she tried to fall asleep, but what James said was bothering her.

He hadn't heard from Atria is a few days either. She got up and decided to write to Scorpius.

_Scorpius, _

_Have you heard from Atria recently? Rose is worried and James said he hasn't spoken with her in a week. She didn't respond to Rose, but maybe she's just busy studying dragons and whatnot. _

_Amanda_

_Post Script, Check in with Al as well. I doubt he's heard from her, but you never know with Atria. She might have sent him hate mail or something. _

Amanda grinned at that. Rose had filled her in on everything that had happened while she was in a coma. Apparently Al and Attie hadn't spoken to each other, no even snarky comments, before Atria had left for Romania. They just avoided eye contact and ignored each other.

She took the letter to the window and gave it to Barnaby. "Scorpius Malfoy." She whispered and smoothed the owl's feathers. Then it flew away and she tried to get some sleep.

Then next morning she woke up to a tapping on her window. Amanda groaned and rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in the pillow. The tapping just got louder and louder.

"Alright, Alright." She muttered and got a little light headed when she stood up quickly. She blinked at the sudden light that met her eyes when she went to the window. There was a letter there sealed with wax. She looked at the engraving in the wax, no doubt done by a ring. Stupid Scorpius Malfoy.

She glanced at the clock… eight o'clock in the morning during the bloody summer. Amanda glared at his expensive owl, who glared back, and then flew away.

She peeled open the letter.

_Dear Amanda, _

_I'm doing fine thanks (sarcasm). I just owled Atria, so we'll see if she gets back to me soon. Albus hasn't heard from her either - he was here yesterday. I'm coming to see you today._

_Scorpius_

Amanda blinked. He was going to come here today? Did he even know where she lived? Usually they all hung out at Scorpius's house or the Potter's. It made her feel a bit self' conscious of where she lived. All her friends lived in manor's and were rich, and her house wasn't small, but it only had three bedrooms, not ten, and two bathrooms, not seven. And she only had one living room.

Amanda sighed. Too late now. She laid back down on her bed and yawned. She shut her eyes for a minute.

"Amanda, you're friend is here." Her mother called from the hallway. She sat up and snapped her eyes open. She looked frantically at the clock. Holy hippogriffs, she had slept for another two hours.

"I'll be right there." Amanda called and jumped out of bed, kicking the sheets that got dangled around her, to the floor. She threw open her closet door, grabbed a bra and the first shirt she could find, and threw on jean shorts.

"Don't rush yourself." Her mum hollered and Amanda rolled her eyes. She looked at the little scar on her arm. She couldn't remember how it happened or who did it to her. She only remembered waking up and being told she had missed the past two weeks of her life.

"I'm fine. Just send him up." Amanda yelled back, pulling the jean shorts up her thighs. A minute later, Scorpius knocked on the door. "Come in." She said, picking her sheets up off the floor. She had only been home one day and she had already wrecked the place.

The mop of blonde hair came in first and looked around. He stepped all the way in.

"I like your room." He smiled and sat in her desk.

"You smallest guest room is bigger." Amanda jumped on her bed.

"Should be so… active?" Scorpius gave her a worried look. Amanda sighed.

"Honestly, you and Rose are going to drive me up a wall."

"Yea, well I'm nothing like Rose." Scorpius crossed his arms.

Amand gave him a knowing look. "Yes, absolutely. Nothing at all like Rose." She said deadpanned.

"Albus is coming in a few minutes."

"What?" Amanda shrieked. "I didn't invite Albus!"

"No, I did. He wanted to see you." Scorpius shrugged, flicking an jewerly holder shaped like a tree. "And he said he hasn't heard from Atria. Not that he's written her."

"Great," She muttered.

He looked a little hurt. "What's so bad about having us here?"

"I'm sure it's not what you're used to." She picked up James's letter that she had thrown on the floor the night before.

"When I'm at Hogwarts I share a room with nine other boys who snore and fart in their sleep. Trust this is nicer than that." He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.

"When did your hair get so long?"

"Yea, I need to get it cut." He rubbed a hand over the back, which he usually kept shorter. His bangs with now in his eyes instead of neatly trimmed above his eyebrows. "Mum's been fussing about it but I keep putting it off." He shrugged. Amanda looked at the ends of her hair that she hadn't cut in months. She had been going to get it cut at the beginning of summer but…

The strands now fell over her chest and it was too hot for that. This was when she envied Atria for being able to change her hair at any time.

"Rose and I are going to James's scrimmage on Monday." Amanda told Scorpius. "Against the Finches."

"That should be fun." Scorpius nodded and looked at his watch. "Where is Albus?" He mumbled.

A few minutes later an owl pecked at the window. She recognized Lily's owl - a gorgeous snow white bird, named Monosys. She went over to the window, took the paper, and the bird flew away.

"If I get any more letters, this place is going to turn into an owlery." Amanda frowned as she opened the note.

She read it aloud:

"_Amanda, _

_Scorpius is probably there by now. Mum got a letter this morning from Uncle Charlie and apparently Atria had a little incident with a dragon. That's why she hasn't been responding to your letters. By the time you get this, Mum and I will probably be in Romania at the camp. I'll owl you again once I get there, but I'm not sure when that will be. Not sure how long we'll be here, but Mum's furious because Atria wasn't supposed to be in the field. A howler is preceding our arrival. _

_I didn't have time to send a letter to anyone else, so if you could inform everyone else that would be great. Dad's probably going to wonder where Mum I went. Lily was out so I just borrowed her owl, because Lakness is out delivering other letters. It's about 9:00 now. _

_Albus"_

"What?" Scorpius looked like he had been struck with a stick. "What kind of accident?"

"He didn't say." Amanda looked over the not again. "Bloody hell. Alright you write a note to Rose and I'll write a note to James-"

"Someone should write to Mr. Potter." Scorpius said.

"Yea, right. Okay, I'll do that, you owl Rose and then I'll owl James." She wrote a quick letter to Mr. Potter.

_Atria had a accident, so your wife and Al are in Romania. They'll owl when they can. _

_Sincerely, _

_Amanda Smith and Scorpius Malfoy _

_Dear James, _

_Atria had an accident, I don't have the details, but Al and your Mum are in Romania right now. Al sent an owl, he was supposed to come over today, but for obvious reasons he couldn't. Anyways, if you don't want us to come to your game I'll understand. Let me know if you go to Romania._

_Amanda_

She ditched the 'love' part at the end of the note. It wasn't like he needed it anyways.

"Give me yours. I'll have Barnaby send them all." Amanda said to Scorpius and she gave all three letters to her owl, who gave her a dirty look. "I know, sorry. Harry Potter, James Potter, and Rose Weasley." The flew away with a dramatic flapping, as the though letters were too heavy.

"What now?" Scorpius asked.

"What do you mean?"

Scorpius shrugged. "I feel crappy just sitting here and waiting."

"Yea, well I think my mum would draw the line at me flying off to Romania. She's already freaking out about me going to James's game." Amanda mumbled. Honestly, she had spent four weeks in the hospital, two of which were spent regaining her strength. She felt fine and no one seemed to understand that.

"Of course, you can't go, but maybe Rose and I could." Scorpius bit his lip.

"You have your internships. That's probably why Al went in the first place. I doubt he would have gone, if he thought one of us could have gone instead." Amanda said and she felt crappy. Atria had saved her life and now when she was in the same position, Amanda couldn't do squat. "I want to know exactly what happened." Amanda snapped and Scorpius jerked his head back, surprised at her hostility.

"Albus will owl us." He assured her.

"Great. Albus is our only hope." She said deadpanned.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" His mother shouted at his uncle. Albus looked at Uncle Charlie struggle for words and shook his head. He looked at Atria lying on the hospital bed, her arm wrapped in gauze and a nurse fussing over her.

She was still in her work cloths which consisted of a leather jacket and leather pants. Her other arm was wrapped in more leather, probably for fire protection. She was working with dragons after all. In fact her outfit might have been made out of a dragon's hide.

"It's complicated. It's involved and complex…" Uncle Charlie rabbled.

"Charlie." His mum cut him off harshly.

Charlie hung his head. "She wanted to get some of Marissa's venom." He mumbled and Al shook his head.

"Marissa?"

"The Vipertooth dragon." His uncles lips barely moved. "That's what Attie named her."

His mum scoffed. "Was this before or after she got poisoned and most of her skin burned off?"

"After."

The temperature in the room dropped from the look his mum shot Charlie.

"Will she be okay?" Al interrupted. Atria didn't look half as bad as Amanda had when she was lying in St. Mungo's.

"Oh, yes. The burns were easy to fix. We had to dig up to antivenom and mix it with some other stuff to heal the bite though." Charlie said, sounding rather upbeat.

"Why was she out in the field in the first place?" Ginny hissed.

Charlie stutter, "Well, she wanted to work in the field so we told her she had to pass the test. We didn't think she would-"

"You should never have underestimated her." Albus shook his head. Even he knew better than that. If Atria wanted something, she got it.

"Yes, well, she's a seventeen year old and if she has the skill why shouldn't she work in the field?" Charlie argued.

"Exactly!" His mum shouted. "She's only seventeen, not even out of Hogwarts-"

Charlie cut her off, "And she has more skill than all of our interns combined." Albus rolled his eyes. His mum had heard this all before, as had he, Atria was just so far advanced. He studied her form, unconscious on the little cot.

The first thing he noticed was that her hair was black, her natural color, and that was more of a shock than anything. She didn't look like herself. Her cheeks were high and hollow, but not from lack of food, and her nose was aristocratic. She looked more like Scorpius than she usually did, with her angular face, that was paler than normal.

He touched the braid that fell over her shoulder. Her hair was longer than he remembered, or maybe that was just the change in color, and he couldn't get over how black it was. Albus wondered what color her eyes were. She normally had them be blue or if she was angry, black, but he wasn't sure what color they actually were.

"I know she's gifted, but she's too young to die." His mum whispered.

"She's also too stubborn. She rode a dragon-"

"What?" His mum screeched and Uncle Charlie looked like he regretted letting that detail slip.

"It was not my idea." He held up his hands. "She really wanted some of it's venom."

"When will she wake up?" Albus asked.

"The healers say any time now. She's been out for about thirty-six hours. They say her body's just recovering now."

"She's lucky she didn't lose a limb." Ginny muttered and then leaned over the bed kissing Atria's forehead. "Albus, darling, I have to go check us into the hotel or whatever it is, can you stay here? You should probably write to your father."

"Yea, I wrote a quick note to Amanda cause I was supposed to go over today and asked her to send out letters as well." Albus told his mum as he pulled over a chair.

"Oh, good. Just… let everyone know where we are." Ginny shouldered her purse, shot her brother one last glare, and then left the sick room. Albus slumped down into the chair and folded his arms.

"She rode a dragon?"

Charlie nodded. "Like one of those muggles riding a bull." Albus laughed at the image.

Then he sobered. "She's really going to be okay?"

"Yea, I mean, no more dragon riding, but in a few days she'll be as good as new." Charlie said, but he didn't look entirely convinced. "Still, probably should keep her in the office for a couple of weeks, until things settle down."

Albus gasped and jumped up. "You're not letting her in the field again!" Charlie sighed and shook his head.

"Why does nobody understand that this is who she is? She's of age and no offence to my sister, but your mother is not her mother. Atria is not part of your family and therefore you really can't tell her what to do." Charlie sounded more convinced of this than he was of anything else. "She knew what she was getting into and she wanted it. Not everyone is meant to have a quill and parchment job. Some of us like life on the edge."

Albus growled, "There's a difference between living life on the edge and riding a dragon!"

Charlie chuckled. "Why don't you tell that to your father? Because when he was Atria's age he was doing things much worse than studying dragons." He shook his head and Albus didn't know what to say for a few moments.

"That was a different time." Al argued.

"Was it? Look at what's happened in the last few years. Death Eater, the hunting of muggles and muggleborns, some crazy person wanting to rule the world."

"My father fought with a purpose, not just to be reckless."

"Do you know how poisonous a Vipertooth can be? Atria got lucky, but she also got us a sample of one of the most dangerous substances in the world. We can study this and maybe find a cure better than what we have." Uncle Charlie shook his head. "Just because what we're doing isn't splashed on the front page, doesn't mean it's not important."

"You're okay with her risking her life?" Albus snapped, turning away from his uncle to look down on Atria.

"No. What she did was reckless? But that's not the job, that's Atria. Even if she were working in some Ministry office pushing paper, she would find danger. I've seen her fly, she takes risks that no other Quidditch player would. And that's why she's so good." Charlie took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"So what do I do?" Albus sounded defeated.

"What do you mean? There's nothing you can do, except support her, and make her understand that you want to her to be happy, but also safe." That sounded suspiciously life dating advice and Albus started to shake his head.

"We're not-"

"And yet here you are. Instead of James or another one of her friends. I know about how you've felt in the past, but clearly something's changed." Uncle Charlie held up his hands as if he expected to be hexed.

Albus sat back down and rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants. "I don't know what changed."

"Me neither. But something did and you better get on board with it before you do something stupid."

**Hi again! I know these chapters are being posted close togeher but I already have them all written. So I hope you enjoy the lastest chapter. - Alex**


	18. Cuddling in the Hospital

Light flooded into her vision so suddenly that she had to close her eyes quickly. Atria gave out a startled noise and her head jerked back into the pillow.

"Atria!"

Albus. Albus was here, in Romania, somewhere next to her. She tried to work her eyes open again but flinched, the brightness giving her a headache.

"Wait, let me close the curtains." He said and then she heard a rustling of fabric somewhere behind her. She tentatively opened her eyes again and looked up at Albus's grinning face. "You're awake."

She worked her mouth opened and cleared her throat a few times until she could speak properly. "What are you doing here?" Merlin, she sounded awful. How long had she been unconscious?

"You seriously thought my mum wasn't going to come running when she found out that you had been _poisoned by a dragon."_ He chuckled and shook his head. His hair had grown out since she had last seen him. "Oh, and you almost got your arm incinerated. Nice hair by the way." He sat down in a chair next to her bed.

Atria looked down at her braid. It was black and wavy! She wanted to change it, but didn't have the strength to try. He looked at her for a long while and she realized he was studying her eyes, which he had probably never seen before. She looked away from him, hoping he wouldn't see the family resemblance.

And then she realized that his mother was here and she would definitely see the similarities between her and her grandmother. She coughed.

"Let me get you some water." He went over to a table and she realized she was in the hospital center of the camp. There was only one other person in and he seemed to only have minor injuries. He poured her a glass of water and brought it back.

She gripped the glass, but her hand was shaking. He must have seen it because he didn't let go. Albus helped her take a good long drink and then set the glass down on the nightstand next to her.

"I meant, why are you personally here." She clarified her earlier question.

Atria winced when she thought of how they had left thing back in London.

"I was really the only one of us who could take time off. Rose and Scor have their important Ministry internships, James is playing professional Quidditch now, and Amanda only got out of the Hospital-"

She cut him off, "Amanda got out of the Hospital?"

"Yea, a few days ago. Rose got worried when you never responded to her letter about it." He told her. "We all thought she was being paranoid." He glared at her, like it was her fault for making them wrong. "Little did we know, that you actually did get yourself blown up-"

"I was poisoned and burned, not blown up." She snapped and Albus chuckled.

"Whatever." He shrugged. "The point is no one else could drop everything and fly off to Romania, but Uncle George said that I could go with my mum." Atria smiled. She loved George.

"Where is your mum?" She asked. "And Charlie?"

"You've been out for about two days. Charlie had to get back to work and mum is at our hotel. The family's a bit crazy right now." He looked away as he said that. "James has his first match tomorrow. Well, it's only a practice match but still..."

"I remember meeting him for the first time." Atria smiled and shut his eyes. "I expected him to end up working in the joke shop." She looked up at him with her eyes that were now bright blue. And her words made ice flow through his veins.

"And instead it's me." Albus growled, but Atria just laughed.

"So you think Rose will stay in that dull Ministry apprenticeship forever? And Scorpius, whatever department he's in? Merlin, no. Don't think for one second that I expect you to stay forever where you are." She said fiercely. "But even if you do, who the hell cares… if it makes you happy. I've always considered it to be more of a reign of terror than a joke shop anyways." She smirked and he laughed.

"And you? Do you think twenty years from now you'll be out here, picking fights with dragons?"

"No. I expect one day, I'll get tired of the thrill seeking and the excitement." Atria wasn't sure when that day would come, but she was sure it would.

"But until that day you plan on going on like this?" She jerked at his harsh tone.

"What do you mean?" She tried to sit up, but her arms wouldn't hold her.

He pushed himself out of the chair. "The reckless behavior - riding dragons, jumped off brooms when your sixty feet up…"

"It's just the way I live life." She wanted to make him understand.

"I know. I just don't understand." He told her.

She took in a deep breath. "Do you remember when I told you about my parents?" Atria swallowed, not wanting to talk about this, but felt it was necessary.

"Yes." He croaked.

"I don't mean to be harsh, but I'm afraid that sometimes my past gets the better of me. And I don't want to be reckless, but I can't seem to help it." She told him and willed him to understand. He should stay away from her, because she truly was a time bomb, to use a muggle phrase.

"You could start by not doing dangerous things so often." He suggested sarcastically.

Atria sighed, "But then life will be so boring." Al glared at her. "Oh, come on. You're not meant to sit behind a desk either. Only Rose has the patience for that." Albus didn't laugh at her attempted jokes.

"There's a gap the size of the Grand Canyon between a desk job and jumping on the back of a dragon." Albus gave her a deadpanned look. Her shoulders dropped. "But that's just you so…" He shrugged.

"Well, thanks I suppose, for trying to understand." She pressed her lips together in a thin smile.

Albus decided a change of topic was in order. He shouldn't be depressing her when she just woke up from a coma. "Rose and Amanda are going to James's match tomorrow. It's Friday, by the way." She had been unconscious for two days.

"I'm surprised Rose wants to go." Atria tried to sit up, but her arms just wouldn't help her. Albus grabbed a pillow from a vacant bed, helped her sit up, and then propped the pillow behind her.

"I think she's going for Amanda. It'll be the first time she's gone out since the… incident." He struggled for the right words.

"I was so upset that I couldn't be there for her." Atria frowned, looking at her hands.

"She said the same thing about you. So did Rose… I'm basically here representing the group." He chuckled, rubbing his chest. Atria's eyes dropped and Al grinned. "How can you possibly be tired? You just slept for two days."

"I'm recovering from a dragon bite." She snapped, but it lacked the usual venom.

"And whose fault is that?"

"Yea, yea, gloat all you want." Atria turned away and pouted.

Al nudged her shoulder playfully. "Besides, it was hardly a dragon bite. More of a nick really, stop overreacting." She looked at him with an open mouth.

"Says he who was just freaking out about me being hurt." She smirked and he scowled.

He jutted his chin up. "I was not freaking out. I was simply doing my part as the representative of the family to show concern." He said strictly, like he was speaking to the Minister or giving a book report.

"Whatever you have to tell yourself." She giggled and shook her head. He glared at her and leaned in closer to tell her off.

"Look-"

She leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. He stared past her with wide eyes for a moment. "What was that?" He said finally and cleared it throat, as his voice had shot up several octaves.

"A thank you. For being here." She smiled at the blush that was creeping into his cheeks. It reminded her of when he got of his broom and his cheeks were flushed and his hair was windblown.

He looked down. "Of course I'm here."

She settled back into the pillow and shut her eyes. "I've never been sick before. Not really. It's strange for me to be lying her, sluggish and totally out of it." Merlin forbid she ever get sick, her mother wouldn't have cared. She heard him shuffle in the chair.

"But you're not sick. You attacked a dragon and walked away with a burn and a minor venom injection. So all in all, I think you're doing okay." He shuffled again and she felt his breath on her forehead before his kissed her there. She sighed contently and leaned into the hand that was resting on her cheek.

"Stay with me." She whispered.

"I wasn't planning on leaving."

She opened her eyes and scooted over. "Lay down with me." Atria saw him swallow. "Just to sleep." She clarified. He looked around and then slid into the bed, careful not to move her too much. He stayed on the very edge of the cot, but they were still pressed together. She started to turn on her side but her stopped her.

"You shouldn't be moving!" He whispered loudly.

"Relax, I'm perfectly alright now." She mumbled and laid her arm on his stomach, tucking her head into his shoulder. She felt his stomach pump up and down, breathing heavily. He adjusted his arm so it was around her, putting her safely in the crook of his arm. Eventually he relaxed and the sound of his breathing lulled her to sleep.

Albus looked at the girl lying in his arms. He shut his eyes briefly and thought about what they were doing. They hadn't spoken since she'd left and she hadn't left on the best of terms. Then he shows up here and she acts like nothing happened.

Atria was going to kill him with her bipolar nature. He started to fall asleep and just when he was about the lose consciousness, he heard his mother's voice through the doors and his eyes snapped open.

He had his arms wrapped around the girl he hated, sort of, they were lying in a hospital bed, and his mother was about to walk it. And they shared a bathroom at home.

Oh, Merlin.

**Alright guys. This is going to be a long authors note! I want to say thanks for all the reviews, I would love to get more! Also, in a word document this story is about 140 pages long and I'm only on chapter 18! Yay! So in case you guys were wondering what my plan is (yes, I actually have a plan), this story probably won't be more than 35 or so chapters long. I feel like anything more would just be dragging it on and on. Seventh year is going to get interesting, it's also going to get darker, so beware. **

**And can I just say again how much I love reviews! It's nice to know what people like and don't like! I do write these chapters one by one, so if there's something you want to see, just let me know! **

**And finally, check out my profile, because I went on a one-shot spree and I'm curious to see what people think! Should I do more? Less? A different ship? A specific plot that you've been dying to see happen? LET ME KNOW! **

**Love, Alex**


	19. Catching Up

Atria heard voices speaking above her. She blinked a few times and looked up.

"Hello, darling." Ginny entered her vision and she saw Albus standing behind his mother. Charlie was there as well, speaking with a healer. She focused on Albus. He was looking at her, but he seemed distracted. Maybe he was trying to listen to what the healer was saying. "Albus said you were up a little while ago but fell back asleep." Ginny said softly, easing down onto the bed, careful not to jossle Atria.

"Yeah, he said I had been out for a couple of days." Atria eased herself up, leaning against the pillows. "I feel alright now though."

The healer took this opportunity to speak. She was a woman of about sixty and dressed in white robes. "Hello, sweetie. I'm Madam Hartly. How are you feeling?" She asked sweetly with a heavy slavic accent, but Atria didn't think it was Romanian.

"I'm good." She tried to sound upbeat, but she was hardly ever upbeat even when she wasn't lying in a hospital bed.

"You're extremely lucky to be alive." The woman said and inspected the wound on her arm. "It seems to be healing up alright. It was just a small nick, but with the burn there was a serious risk for infection." She said, looking at the clipboard in her hand.

"So when can I get out of here." Atria asked quickly and Ginny gave her a reproachful look. Then she looked hesitantly at Charlie.

"Well, we weren't sure if you would be going back." Ginny said slowly and Atria shot up and then winced at the sudden headrush.

"What?! Why?" Her voice rose.

Charlie cleared his throat. "Well, you wouldn't be able to do much here for the next week, and the wedding is only two weeks away and then there's only twelve days after we get back from the wedding." He said quickly, trying to appease Atria.

"And honestly, I'm not sure if I trust my brother to keep you out of the field." Ginny said and Charlie hung his head. "You weren't supposed to have face to face contact with dragons anyways. Especially not fully grown, Vipertooths."

Atria scoffed. "But I'm perfectly alright now." She argued. They couldn't actually make her come home! "And I'm adult!"

"You're also still in school and not qualified to be in the field." The healer chimed in. Atria turned her glare on the old woman. "You're not employed, therefore the Ministry is responsible for all damage that befalls you."

Charlie bit his lip. "She right. You're here as an observer and it was... unprofessional for me to let you into the field." Atria's jaw dropped. Even Charlie was against her.

"Now, wait a minute," Albus stepped up, "She took the test and passed. She technically does have the credentials to go into the field even without her N.E.W.T.'s. Maybe she can just work in lab." He suggested and Atria could've kissed him. Actually, if he stuck around after everyone else left, she might.

"Can you guarantee that she won't go into the field again?" Ginny asked her older brother, standing up and folding her arms.

Charlie rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I can make sure she doesn't get a pass into the field, but I can't control what she does without the okay from above." Everyone turned to stare down at her. Atria huffed.

"Well, that's no fun." She muttered and she caught Al glaring at her. She remembered his attempt to understand why she was so reckless. Damnit, now she felt that she owed him something. This not-hating-Albus thing was hard. "Alright, fine. I won't do anything stupid." Atria crossed her arms.

"Your definition of stupid or mine?" Charlie stared down at her and she sighed.

"Yours." She mumbled grudgingly.

Charlie gave her a lopsided smile. "Excellent." He turned to Ginny.

"Oh go on." She shook her head. "But any funny business and you're coming straight home." Atria wanted to point out that she couldn't really make her come home, but thought that might be unwise at the moment.

Once that was cleared up, Atria asked how things were going at home. "I mean, it's been a month, have they caught whoever conjured the dark mark?" She asked, well more like demanded.

Ginny sighed, "No. We checked everyone's wand and combed through the castle, but there were no traces of anyone."

"And the girl who was killed?" Atria pressde on and Al gave her a disapproving look. Like she shouldn't be so forward when talking about death. Atria supposed she should be a bit more sensitive when it came to these things.

"A third year Ravenclaw." Ginny closed her eyes briefly and then looked down. "The killing curse… which is part of the reason we're having trouble tracking it. But we have got some things from the bloodroot that poisoned Amanda."

Atria nodded, two steps ahead. "It's only found in the southern regions of Spain and North Africa. Also it looked like she was just caught in a wrong time, wrong place type situation. I don't think he even meant to use the poison on her. It must have been on the tip of a knife or quill, and he just panicked."

"We don't know it's a he." Ginny chastised. "For all we know it could be a woman. Or a girl, for that matter. We still haven't ruled out the possibility of it being a student." Atria's alarm went off in her head. _Danger! Danger! Steer clear of that topic. _

"But how would a student know how to conjure a Dark Mark?" Albus asked and Ginny seemed to realize she was speaking to two seventeen year olds.

"I really shouldn't be telling you this." She pulled back, but Al continued. Atria almost wanted to say, _I could do it since I was thirteen. Oh, and I pretty adept at the cruciatus curse. _She bit her tongue.

"And the killing curse?" Albus added.

"Obviously, the person had training outside of Hogwarts," Ginny replied quickly, just to shut him up. Atria was amazing they weren't looking immediately at her and Sal.

In fact… "Sal, have you looked into him?"

Ginny nodded. "Ron and Harry immediately thought of him, but his wand was clear. And he has an alibi." Atria wasn't convinced.

"I must insist that she get some rest now," The stupid healer butt in. Atria wanted to protest, but Ginny nodded.

"I just need to speak to Al real quick." Atria said, looking innocently between Ginny and Charlie.

"Alright, we'll wait outside." Ginny said.

Al quickly cut in, "It's alright, I'll just meet you at the hotel." Atria nodded encouragingly. Ginny looked extremely suspicious, she knew the two didn't like each other, but Attie just smiled sweetly.

"Come on," Charlie finally tugged Ginny out. Albus started to speak until he noticed the healer was still hanging around. Atria glared at the woman openly until she left with a huff.

"So rude," Atria heard the woman mutter.

"Anyway," Albus rolled his eyes.

"So how have things been at home?" Atria asked immediately. "How is everyone? And Amanda, is she alright?"

Albus shrugged. "It's been difficult. We haven't had as much freedom. We have to schedule visits and outings..." He trailed off. "I was going to see Amanda the morning we got the letter from Charlie, so I have seen her since she got home. She was doing pretty well at St. Mungo's though." She sighed in relief, but there was still that nagging worry about the unknown culprit.

"And Rose?"

"Busy as ever." He smiled and she imagined he was thinking about how Rose always manage to work herself to death, even in the summer. "She and Scorpius haven't talked much. I know that was bothering him."

"Why haven't they talked?" Had Atria missed something? She couldn't remember them having a fight before she left.

Albus groaned. "I don't know. He feels like she avoiding him, but she insists that she's just busy... but she hasn't even written him." He rubbed his temples. "Well, except for to tell him about your 'accident'." He gave her a level stare and she giggled nervously. When did he acquire the power to make her feel guilty?

"Well, they'll have to speak at the wedding." Atria mumbled, thinking of ways she could repair whatever damage had been done to the friendship. Sure Rose and Scorpius argued all the time, but at least they were talking. Them not talking was worse than them arguing.

"Scorpius isn't going to the wedding." Albus pointed out.

"But wasn't he going to be in Spain with his grandparents during that time?" Atria countered. Albus shook his head.

"That was put on hiatus when the attack happened."

Atria ran her hands down her face. "Uh, how are we supposed to help them?" She snapped.

"Um... we could just let them fix it on their own?" He suggested uncertainly.

Atria glared at him. "Don't be stupid." Boys, honestly.

He sat back and stretched his arms, flexing his muscles. She glared at him for trying to distract her. "Come on..." Al whined, withering under her fixed look. "Look, they'll probably be Heads this year. They'll share a common room, come up with prefect schedules... they'll have to talk." Atria grudgingly admitted he had a point.

"Fine." She folded her arms across her chest and he gave her a lopsided smile.

_Don't give in. Don't give in... damnit he's just too cute._ She dropped her arms and sighed. He gave her a triumphant smile. Her stomach growled and he laughed. "I'll go get you some food." He stood up and started to leave.

"Not hospital food!" She called after him.

OOO

Amanda sighed and placed her book on the coffee table. There was just no way she could concentrate on her book, there were too many other things happening. Albus had sent her a letter saying that Atria was unconscious, but alive. Apparently, she had the good sense to try and ride a poisonous dragon.

Amanda snorted, as if a regular dragon wasn't bad enough, it had to be poisonous as well. And Rose was all over the place with her internship, which meant she didn't have time for anything else, which pissed Scorpius off. Amanda was to tell him off, because this past year Scorpius disappeared with Jenny so often, and now that Rose wasn't devoting all her attention to him, he got angry.

She rolled her eyes mentally. _Boys. _

She grabbed her muggle book, Vampire Academy, tucked her legs under her, and tried again. Ugh, she couldn't concentrate whatsoever and that was extremely frustrating because the book was getting good.

She heard a loud bang, followed by a curse. She looked up and saw a pair of jean clad legs sticking out from her fireplace. She jumped up as the familiar voice started to shout.

"James?!" She cried and rushed over with with a disbelieving smile on her face. The situation was hilarious, but shocking.

"AMANDA!" He hollered loudly, his voice muffled by the brick. He must have tried to floo in, but her fireplace was muggle and not designed to hold a person. The upper half of his body was trapped in the tiny brick chimney. "What the bloody hell?" He screamed and she stifled a laugh.

She was a horrible person, laughing at his panic. "What are you doing here?" She called to him placing her hand on the brink where his chest probably was on the other side.

"Bringing you the tickets!" He snapped.

"Don't worry I'll get you out." She told him and got on her knees to inspect the damage. His feet were tripping and kicking over the log holder, so she wrenched that out of the fireplace, accidentally hitting him in the process.

"Ouch! Woman, I have a game tomorrow!" He growled and she laughed.

"You don't need your legs to sit on a broom." She countered and she heard him huffed.

"That doesn't mean I don't need them for other things!"

Once she had the heavy log holder out of the way, she began to pull on his legs.

"Merlin!" He barked out. "There's this thing called magic." He said sarcastically, his legs flailing away from her hands.

"There's also this thing called the Trace. I'm not seventeen yet." Amanda snapped back. She shifted on her knees, getting in a better position so that if he came crashing out, he wouldn't land on her. "Okay, I need you to stop putting pressure on your legs. I'm going to lift them up and hopefully they'll come out, while the rest of your body goes down." She reached for his leg and he evaded her.

She rolled her eyes. "Wait, you want me to purposely fall on my butt?"

"Pretty much. Or you can stay stuck there until my mum comes home." She shrugged, purposely sounding casual, knowing that would freak him out.

James was silent for a moment and then spoke hesitantly. "All right." He muttered.

"Okay, on three jump." She told him and grabbed both of his legs, getting ready to pull when he jumped. "One, two... three." He jumped just enough that she was able to get his feet out from under him and out of the fireplace, while the rest of his body crashed down.

She shrieked a little at the loud crash and he groaned. "Ow." He moaned breathily. He propped himself up on his arms and shimmied the rest of the way out, so his whole body was out. Once his head was safely on the slate in front of the fireplace, he took a few deep breaths and then dropped his head back.

"Let's not do that again." He said panting.

Amanda laughed and kneeled next to him. She looked at his messy hair and the soot that was all over his face. She giggled again. "You're all dirty." She told him and he pried his eyes open to glare at her.

"You really need a bigger fireplace." He told her factually.

"People usually don't floo here." She said defensively. "Why didn't you write or something? I would have told you to apparate."

He coughed a bit and sat up, bringing their faces very close together. Amanda scooted back. "I thought I'd surprise you. Last time I do that." He mumbled, ruffling out his hair. Ash came flying out and she smirked.

"Well, come on." She stood up and offered him a hand. "Let's get you cleaned up." He took her hand and heaved to his feet.

James smirked. "You planning on giving me a sponge bath?"

Amanda flushed and pulled her hand back. She started to walk to the kitchen. "No, just a dish cloth." She peeked back and saw he was studying her house. He grinned at a picture of her when she was eight. She had on an embarrassing Hello Kitty shirt and pigtails.

"Cute."

She glared at him and then grabbed his arm and pulled him to the kitchen, making sure he didn't get distracted along the way. But once he was in the kitchen and started asking her what random things were.

"What's this?" "Oh, and this?" "What does this do?" He asked in awe.

"In squeezes lemons and oranges." Amanda replied dryly.

His mouth formed an O. "There's a machine just for that?" She nodded, turning away to hide a smile. She grabbed a clean dish cloth from a cabinet and wet it so he could wipe off the ash from his face. There was nothing she could do about his clothes at the moment, those would have to be cleaned later.

When she turned back around James was messing with the dishwasher.

"What does this do?" He started pressing buttons and she slapped his hand. He pulled his hand dramatically to his chest and simpered like a kicked puppy.

"It cleans dishes." She handed him the rag. He started rubbing it all over his face, smudging around the soot.

"Why don't you use magic?" He asked, frowning a little. She had to wonder whether or not he took Muggle Studies. He probably only took a year or two of it, she decided. And then promptly forgot everything.

"My mum does, but my dad and I can't so we have a dishwasher." She explained, finding the whole experience a bit weird. None of her friends had ever been over and then suddenly in a span of two days they've all been in her home.

"And what's this?" He went over to the stove and turned some of the knobs. Eventually a flame popper up and he jumped back a few feets.

Amanda giggled. "That's a place for cooking food." She followed him over and turned off the stove, while he glared at it for little while. When he seemed to forget about cleaning his face, she took the dish rag from him, rewet it, and rubbed his cheek.

"Fascinating." He said absently as she cleaned his face. She had to scrub so hard that he flinched away and his face was turning blotching.

"Uh, hold on." She washed out the rag and put soap on it.

_Ah, much better. _She thought as the soot started to wipe away cleanly. She glanced up and faltered as his green eyes stared into hers.

She quickly look away and turned his face so she could clean the other cheek.

"So tell me about the Harpies." She said quickly, dabbing along his neck.

He let out a long breath. "It's been grueling but in the best way. Like a massage." He shrugged and she bit her lip.

"Sounds nice." She said and then rolled her eyes. What a stupid thing to say!

"Do you like massages?" He asked abruptly and turned to look at her.

"I've never had one." She set the rag down.

"I've only had two, but it was really nice." He told her and Amanda had to wonder how they possibly landed on this topic.

"Cool." She nodded awkwardly.

"Are you coming to the wedding?" Another random question.

Amanda sat down at one of the counter stools and shook her head. James came to stand in front of her and shook his head when she motioned for him to sit as well.

"No, why would I?"

"I don't know. I guess I just sort of see you the same as Attie... sort of part of the family." He shrugged and played with a salt shaker.

_Great, he sees me as a sister or cousin. _

"Well, I'm not." She said a bit forcefully and then forced herself to calm down. "I mean, I'm really only friends with Rose and Albus." She added softly. He blinked a few times.

"Not me?"

Amanda snapped her eyes to his. "I guess. I always figured that we were really only friends because you were obsessed with Atria." She kept her breathing level and said it as casually as she could. Like she didn't care one way or another what he thought of her. What a lie.

James scoffed. "I'm not obsessed with her." He paused. "Anymore."

Amanda laughed stiffly. "I just sort of got caught in the middle. Almost like I did with Rose and Scorpius. In fact, we're all pretty much friends because of Attie." She couldn't even remember life before Atria. She had the vague feeling that it was boring.

"Yea, what did you lot do without her?" James asked teasingly. Amanda shrugged in response. "And I consider us friends. Just like you consider Rose and Scorpius friends."

Amanda sighed. "I suppose."

James frowned, his nose crinkling a bit. He still a some soot there but she ignored it. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Amanda shook her head and took the rag, tossing it into the sink.

She tried to smooth out her features and put on a happy face. It was funny to think about her life those first few years at Hogwarts. She had been friends with girls in her dorm and had a major crush on Freddie.

That made her smile. She couldn't imagine thinking of Freddie that way now, but as a first year he had seemed larger than life. He was the first Weasley to be sorted into Slytherin, and the only, and he was cute.

"Now what?" James demanded, having no idea what was going on in her head.

"Just thinking about Freddie." She mumbled absently. His mouth parted in surprise.

"Why?" He snapped.

She looked over at him. He was leaning against the counter nonchalantly, but his face was screwed up tight, like he was displeased that she was thinking about his cousin. Amanda grinned a little bit more as she decided to have some fun with him.

She wondered about his reaction, "I used to have a crush on Freddie." She said and gauged his reaction. He growled a bit and his lips twisted in a scowl.

"On Freddie?" He sounded so shocked.

Amanda nodded. "I thought he was cute." She told him and watched his scowl deepen.

"Freddie?" James repeated and she gave a quick casual nod.

"Mmhm. He was cute," She said, "now he's hot." Okay, that was a bit mean, but it made her stomach flutter when he got all jealous.

James stared at her speechless.

She took pity on him. "Of course, this was in second year. My crush was effectively killed when I saw him getting in a farting contest." She shuddered at the thought. James let out a choked laugh.

"Oh."

"Yes, it was all rather heartbreaking." She sighed dramatically. "He had no idea I even existed." She laughed to herself.

"I'm sure that's not true."

Amanda nodded. "It was true. The first time he ever talked to me was when you ran into me on the way to Hogsmeade at the end of second year. You were so excited and you just bowled me over." She smirked.

"Bowled?"

"It's a muggle phrase." She waved a hand dismissively.

"Oh, sorry." He said awkwardly. "I don't remember."

"You wouldn't." She shrugged. "It all happened very quickly. I only remember because it was Freddie Weasley and James Potter."

"Oh."

"So like I said. If it hadn't been for Attie, we wouldn't have become friends. The only reason you spoke to me was because of her."

James looked at the floor. "Sorry, again." He pointedly looked away and then motioned to the fridge. "What's that?"

"It's to keep for cold. Like how there's a spell to make sure foods don't go bad? That's what the refrigerator does." She explained.

He gasped. "It's a magic food box?"

Amanda giggled. "Not magic. Science." There was a few moments of silence. Amanda looked anywhere but at him. She knew he would look down and ruffle his hair. "Didn't you say you had the tickets for me?" She remembered and indeed his hand was in his hair.

"Oh yea," He reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Here," He was slow to hand them over. She looked at him as he stayed still and then she looked around.

"Was that all?" She asked finally.

"Are you going somewhere?" He asked, scratching the center of his chest absently.

"No, I just thought you might have other things to do... You only came to give me the tickets right?" Had she missed something?

"Well that and I wanted to check on you. I haven't had time to see you recently and you only got home two days ago."

Amanda blushed and looked up at him through her eyelashes. His high cheekbones had a pink tint to them. "Thanks, I'm doing well. I'm just worried about Atria." She said and then berated herself for bringing up Attie again.

But James just shrugged. "She'll be fine." Amanda nodded, amazed that he wasn't freaking out. "Do you have any of those moving pictures?" He asked suddenly.

"Movies?" She raised her eyebrows. James nodded enthusiastically. "Uh... yea?" Her response sounded like a question and that was probably because she was wondering why he wanted to know if she had movies.

"Maybe we could watch one," He suggested.

Her eyebrows shot up further. "Really?"

"Sure, it's only five and I don't have to be home until ten."

She smirked. "You have a curfew?"

He chuckled. "I'm sharing a flat with another rookie and he likes to be in bed by ten. It wakes him up if I come home late so I have to be back by ten." He rolled his eyes.

"Sure, what movie?" She started back for the living room and he followed. She knelt in front of a bookcase that had movies on the two bottom shelves.

"I don't know any. You decide." He stood in front of the coffee table.

She roamed her eyes threw the selection. "How about... Pride and Prejudice?" She mostly wanted to know if he knew the book.

When he shrugged in agreement she knew he didn't. "I really like it." She told him encouragingly and tried not to laugh.

"Sounds good."

Amanda bit her lip, her stomach moving with laughter. "I'll go make popcorn while the previews are running." She told him.

"Oh, can I help?" He asked excitedly.

"It's just..." She was about to say it wasn

She opened a cabinet and realized the popcorn packets were on the top shelf. She lifted herself onto the counter and stood up on her knees. She reached for the packet and then then hopped down.

Amanda turned around while opening the plastic and saw James looking at her with an amused smile. She shot him a glare. "You could have helped." She snapped and flushed from embarassment. She went over to the microwaved and pressed the two minute button.

"You didn't ask." He shrugged and went over to look through the glass. He watched the packet spin around and around.

_Pop_! James jumped back, a startled look on his face and Amanda burst out laughing. 't a two person job but what the heck, "Sure why not?"

She opened a cabinet and hauled herself onto the counter to reach the box of popcorn packages. She jumped down with the box and saw James watching her in amusement.

"You could have helped." She snapped, flushing with embarrassment.

James shrugged. "You looked like you had it under control." He smirked.

Amanda turned away just in case her cheeks were flushed. It didn't happen often because of her olive skin, but around James she felt like she was always beet red. She

"What's the point of being six feet tall if you don't help friends get things from high shelves." She muttered, throwing a package into the microwave. When she pressed a few buttons James came over to watch in amazement. The package started spinning and he watched with rapt attention.

Pop! James jumped back with a startled noise. Amanda laughed.

"It's the kernels popping." She explained. He stared at her blankly. "It's cooking." She rephrased and he nodded, taking a few cautious steps forward. There were more pops and James watched in fascination as the bag started to inflate.

"I always thought you would be more… used to muggle things." Amanda told him.

James shook his head. "We have a TV, but I never used it. I never saw the point really." He shrugged. "It always seemed to boring."

"Some movies are boring, but other movies are great."

The timer went off on the microwave a minute later. Amanda took a large bowl and grabbed the bag by the edge so she wouldn't burn herself. She emptied the popcorn into the bowl and then nodded back to the living room.

"Come on," She said.

She sat on the right side of the couch, her spot, and put the bowl on the coffee table.

As she went to put her feet up on the couch, James sat down. She paused not really knowing what to do. She had expected him to sit on the lay-z boy chair or on the far end of the couch. She tucked her feet up close to her, propping her knees under her chin.

She pressed menu on the remote and James looked at the backround picture of Elizabeth and Darcy questioningly.

"What type of movie is this?" He asked suspiciously.

"A classic." Amanda replied vaguely as the movie started to play. They took turns munching on the popcorn.

At the twenty minute mark James exclaimed, "It's a romance!"

Amanda kicked his thigh playfully, "So? It's a good movie." His hand whipped out and caught her foot.

"So far it's boring," He accused teasingly. "Are you ticklish?" He ran his fingers along the bottom of her foot and she just looked at him.

"No," She said dryly.

"Seriously?" He applied more pressure and she didn't flinch.

"Seriously, I'm not ticklish." Not on her feet anyways. She stretched her legs across his lap and he made a noise of protest.

"Whoa, what am I? A footstool?"

"You can move over." She told him. He made an indignant noise. "This had been my spot long before I knew you."

He just refocused on the movie.

A few minutes later, he shook his head with his eyes still on the screen. "I don't understand any of this. Why would she marry her cousin?"

"This is set a couple hundred years ago." She reminded him as if the old language wasn't a clue.

"Still gross. Like if I married Rose or Dom." He shuddered at the thought and moved his hand along her foot absently.

It had not escaped her notice that for the past half hour he had been rubbing her foot with his thumb, sometimes brushing up to her ankle.

_Bang!_ Her front door slammed shut. Amanda jerked her legs back and James retracted his hands immediately. Amanda stood up.

"Mandy?" Her father called.

"In here Dad." She called and he came into the living.

She wondered what James was thinking. His father was _Harry Potter _and her's was a muggle teacher. His parents were cool and still rather attractive for being middle aged, and her's were… nice, but embarrassing.

Especially since her father was wearing a bowtie.

Her father paused when he saw James. "I didn't know you had company Amanda." He looked questioningly at her.

"I didn't know I was going to." Yea, she was totally going to blame this on James who was awkwardly looking down. "Remember how I told you I was going to a sporting event tomorrow?"

Her father nodded and recognition snapped onto his face. "Oh is this the lad who plays on the brooms?" Amanda rubbed her temple.

"Quidditch, yes."

"Hullo, Mr. Smith." James took a few steps forward and reached out his hand. Her father came forward chuckling.

"So you're a professional athlete?" Her father asked.

"Yes, sir."

"How secure of a job is that?" Her father asked randomly.

James opening his mouth then shut it. Then he finally responded. "Well it's pretty secure. I mean, I make a fair salary, about one thousand a month."

Her father looked affronted, "You only make twelve thousand a year?!" Amanda flushed.

"Dad, he means in galleons." Amanda said quickly, still unsure why they were talking about this. Who cared what he made? Unless her father was just curious what an Quidditch player made, but that was unlikely considering he couldn't even remember it was called Quidditch. "One galleon is about five pounds." She told her father.

"Oh, so you make sixty thousand pounds a year?" Her father seemed surprised. "But how long is the lifespan of an athlete. Amanda tells me it's a dangerous sport."

James shrugged, "Most things can be healed with magic. My career could be as long a twenty years. And I'm only a rookie. My mum was making about one hundred and twenty galleons at the height of her career." Amanda put her palms to her cheeks and shook her head. This was the most embarrassing moment of her life! Why did her dad care what James made and how long his career would last?

"Wow, six hundred thousand pounds." Her dad looked impressed. "And then you retire?"

"Or become a manager or something."

Her dad seemed satisfied.

"So James just came over to drop off the passes, but got distracted by all the muggle things." Amanda explained, drawing the conversation away from money.

"And you started watching Pride and Prejudice?" Her father seemed suspicious.

"Yes, I watched a movie for the first time over spring break," James told him, "and I thought it was fascinating. I didn't realize Amanda was so muggle, so I asked if we could watch a mover-"

"Movie."

"Movie… and she said okay and then she tricked me into watching this." James pinned her with an accusing glare but she just grinned.

"I asked you if it was alright." Amanda said in mock defense.

"I didn't know what it was?!" James shot back.

"I know."

Her father coughed, "Alright, I'll let you lot get back to it. Feel free to stay for dinner…"

"James."

"James, it was nice to meet you." Then finally her father left.

James let out a long breath and Amanda internally cringed. She could only imagine what he must be thinking. "Phew, I was worried for a second there." He chuckled nervously.

"I'm really sorry about-"

He shook his head. "It's alright. He was calmer than my dad would be if he caught Lily in that situation."

Amanda smiled a little. "Or Mr. Weasley with Rose."

James shot her a scared look. "If that ever happens I'm moving to France."

"I don't think France would be far enough away to miss that blast radius." Amanda said, glad to be joking out the awkwardness.

"I should probably go." James said after he finished chuckling.

"The movie's not over." Amanda replied automatically and then winced. She didn't want him to think she was desperate.

"It was crap anyways." He shrugged and she gasped.

"It's a classic." She argued.

"So you said. But still…" James trailed off.

Amanda looked away and wrapped her arms around herself. "Right. And you should rest for the game tomorrow." She tried to smile. James came over and put his arm on her elbow. He looked like he wanted to hugged her, but she didn't uncross her arms.

She looked up and gave him a small smile. "Bye. See you tomorrow."

He stared down at her and then leaned over and kissed her cheek. Amanda bit her lip and hugged herself more tightly. "See you… and Rose."

She nodded and then smirked. "You should apparate home." She giggled in spite of herself. James shot her a dark look.

"Yea, I'll never be flooing here again." He agreed and then left.

Her dad, probably having heard the front door, came into the room. She turned her evil on eye on him. He blinked innocently.

"Did James leave?"

"Yes, dad! Of course he left! He was barely here in the first place." She cried. "And then you had to give him the third degree! What does his salary have to do with anything?"

Her dad shrugged nervously. "I was just curious. I know what football player makes," He shrugged again. "Besides isn't being a professional athlete a big deal?" Her dad asked and Amanda nodded.

"I suppose so." She admitted. Her dad truly was just curious? "A professional Quidditch player, a good one, can be really famous."

"See, I just wanted to meet a famous wizard."

Amanda let out a long breath and rubbed her face. "Well, you have just met the son of the most famous wizard of all time." Her dad's eyes widened. "I told you I was friends with them." She went back over to the couch.

"Yea, but it's different to see it."

She slumped down. "I'm just going to finish the movie."

000

"What's next?"

"Nothing." She picked at her teeth.

"We've been doing nothing for a month." He snarled.

"We need to lay low. They're trying to figure out who conjured the Dark Mark-"

"So are we!"

Silence. "You already know, don't you?" He demanded and she took a long drink from a flask.

"I have someone inside Hogwarts."

"Then what are we waiting for?!"

"The more we do, the more clues we leave. We need them-"

"THEM?"

She sighed. "Yes. A boy and a girl. And we need them to stay hidden for a while longer. School hasn't even started, we can't give them up now."

"Then maybe you could clue us in on what we're doing. What the grand plan is?" He threw his hands in the air.

"To return to a pureblood society."

"And some of us were wondering… you're daughter…"

Her eyebrows got low. "I have not seen her since we were taken to Azkaban. For all I know, she's dead."

"And if she's not?"

"She'll find us. She might have an advantageous position, one she wouldn't give up."

"Are you sure she's still fighting with us?"

Her head snapped up. "Of course. She wouldn't abandon me."

"She was never a believer." He argued.

"But she will stand by me."

"I hope so." He sighed. "Because I remember her. I remember what she's capable of… and if she's against us-"

"You're scared of a child?" She hissed.

"So were you. We all were. Power like that… if we can't control it," He dropped off.

"She won't raise a wand against me."

"Three years ago she wouldn't have. But now… who knows?"

**Okay, chapter 19! I hope you liked it. Be sure to review and let me know! - Alex**


	20. Revelations

Amanda's lungs burned from the screaming and her arms were starting to hurt from waving them around for three hours. James had played for about an hour of the game and he had made five goals. The Harpies won and Rose and Amanda were now waiting outside the locker room for James.

"Can you believe how well he played?" Amanda gripped Rose's arm.

Rose shrugged. "He did play well… when he was in."

"He is a reserve," Amanda argued. "He played more than any other reserve."

Rose gave her a disinterested look. The locker door swung open.

"You waiting for someone?" A man with a heavy Scottish accent asked, putting a duffle bag over his shoulder. He had a short dark beard that was closely shaved and his muscles bulged and Amanda recognized him as one of the beaters. His hair was pushed back with a bit of gel and he smelled like aftershave.

"Um, James." Rose said, trying to look around the man. He looked down at her with an amused look. "Is he in there?" She asked distracted.

The man chuckled, "You his bird?"

Rose scoffed and looked straight at the man for the first time. She had to crane her neck to get a good look at him. "No, his cousin." She folded her arms tightly.

He looked down at her through lidded eyes. "Interesting. He's just showering now. I didn't catch your name." He leaned against the wall and Amanda's alarms instantly went off. He looked like a sexy jungle cat stalking its prey.

"That's because she didn't throw it." Amanda snapped quickly. The man ignored her.

"I'm Chandler Sweets." He held his hand out and damn if they weren't attractive hands.

Rose looked at the hand and then hesitantly shook it. "Rose Weasley."

"Nice to meet you Rose." He flashed her a smile.

"How old are you?" Amanda blurted out.

"Twenty four." He responded and then refocused on Rose. "And you?"

"Eighteen." She tucked a red curl behind her ear and Amanda winced as she imagined Rose flirting with this _man. _Amanda looked impatiently at the locker room door wondering what was taking James so long.

"You still in school?"

"Yes." Rose looked at Amanda, but she just shrugged. It was weird to think of Rose as a sexy grown up woman, but she supposed that's what Rosie was now. Ron was so going to have a heart attack.

The door swung open. "Hey guys." James smiled and then looked between Chandler and Rose. "Hey Sweets, I thought you'd left." He shot Chandler a questioning look.

"I was just talking to your cousin." He chuckled.

Yea, James's eyebrows got real low. "Yea, she's going into her last year at Hogwarts." Hint, hint.

"So she was telling me." He shot Rose a coy smile and Amanda gave James a gag face.

"Weren't we leaving?" Amanda looked impatiently at Rose.

"Yes, let's go." She agreed and gave Chandler a disinterested smile.

Atria drummed her fingers against the desk and then started spinning in her chair. She took a few deep breaths and tried to sit still.

She started playing with her pencil.

_Gah! _She didn't know how Rose could stand it; practically doing nothing. How did anyone have the patience for this?! She looked around and all the other interns seemed to be doing fine. Maybe it was a maturity thing.

All the others were nineteen or older and Atria was only seventeen. That made her smile.

"Hey, Williams."

It took Attie a second to realize that the 'head intern' was talking to her. The idiotic prick didn't know which end of a Horntail was the front and which was the back and somehow he was elected 'head intern'. As if the position had any real power.

"What McLaggan?" Atria sighed. He dropped a stack of paper on her little desk with a _thud. _

"I need you to file these away." He looked down on her her and she glared up at her.

"That's not my job." Atria folded her arms indignantly.

McLaggan sneered at her. "Well, I'm going on a field expedition, so I'll hardly have time to do this." What? How the bloody hell did _McLaggan_ get this gig? Sure, his dad was some Ministry hotshot or something, but she lived with the savior of the wizarding world. If that wasn't a connection Atria didn't know what was.

She realized he was waiting for her reaction. She took a deep breath and smiled, noticing some of the other interns looking their way.

"Of course," Atria tilted her head, giving him a condescending smile. "They did tell you about the loose Vipertooth right?" McLaggan swallowed. "Yeah, I was nicked and I barely survived. She's a little bit wild, that one. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine." He swallowed again and she saw Hayes choke down a laugh. She refocused on the blonde buffoon in front of her. His mouth was working like he wanted to say something and his large shoulders were shaking with fury.

He stalked away and Atria eyed the stack of papers.

"Damnit." She muttered. How could anyone like that git? Sure, he was muscular and good looking, but Albus was much better looking.

With his dark, unruly hair and his green eyes and bulky body… and Scorpius was nice looking too. Yeah, there was definitely so many better looking guys than McLaggan. Atria prefered dark hair… and she really needed to stop thinking about Albus Potter.

They had kissed like… twice and it had barely meant anything. Sure, she thought he hated her, apparently not true, and now he was so sweet it was almost too much. Almost. He and his mum had left two days ago and she already couldn't wait to see him again. It was stupid because it didn't mean anything and they still _disliked _each other.

Atria was still feeling the still of the fight they'd had right before she had left for Romania. She was so shocked to see him when she woke up, considering she thought they weren't speaking. And who know's maybe they would go back to not speaking. Maybe he just felt bad because she'd been poisoned and he thought she was going to die.

She shook her head and focused on the stack of reports that needed to be filed away.

Atria couldn't wait for the wedding. She couldn't wait to see… everyone. Cough, cough.

Hours later, her head about to explode, she collapsed in her spinny chair, her arms sore from carrying all the boxes down to the records department. All the other interns had gone to the lunch hall for dinner while she was away and she was glad.

While she had been combing through files, reading about cases of people's homes being destroyed made her think of Castel Lestrange. She convinced herself that it was okay not to tell anyone who she was based on the fact that she really couldn't give them anything useful. But she knew where Castel Lestrange was and if her mum was holed up there with a dozen Death Eaters? That was useful information.

Atria grumbled. The problem was there wasn't a good way to give that information to the Ministry without being discovered. Especially since there was a picture of every member of the Lestrange family hanging in the Hall of Echos and those pictures grew up to reflect the people depicted. Her picture would no doubt look like she did and there would be no doubt it was her because she remembered the watching her hair change from blue to purple to red in the picture.

Her head dropped to her forearms. They were going to find out - the Potter's, The Weasley's - and then what? She had lived with them for three years, but would they believe her. Her throat swelled as she thought about how Rose, James… and Albus would look at her after they found out.

Would the Malfoy's support her? Surely Mr. Malfoy would understand that everyone did things when they were young that they weren't proud of.

Atria's temple started to throb and thoughts about her mother, Albus, and Mr. Malfoy swirled in her head. And yet, one thing kept popping into her mind. She had to go back to Castel Lestrange.

She hoped it would be as easy to get in as it was before. You only needed to have relation to a Lestrange to enter. Her mother technically didn't have Lestrange blood, but since she was a Lestrange by her mother's marriage that counted. There was some magical boundary that regulated who could get in and out.

Yes, _out_ as well. If a person was brought in you could only leave with direct permission from a member of the house. The castle was a series of winding hallways and back staircases that were riddled with magic and secrecy.

Atria had once gotten lost. She shuddered and couldn't even finish that thought.

She imagined that Malfoy Manor had once looked as threatening as Castel Lestrange. With the five towers sweeping the sky, connected by thick grey, stone walls the outer gate was a deflective shield not only from muggled but from wandering wizards as well. And if you made it past that, the Bleeding Thicket was not a garden that you wanted to mess with.

It was a gorgeous rose garden that attacked anyone not of the Lestrange family unless you had express permission to enter. It was named because most victims bled out from the numerous wounds given by the rose thorns that grew to the length of dangers when attacking.

So unpleasant. Not to mention that the foyer was actually a thinly disguised room that looked into your mind, found your darkest fears, and then used them against you, creating a horror story in the victim's mind until they either literally died from fear or they were too weak to fight.

And Atria had decided this was the place she needed to visit. _Brilliant. _

She packed up her things and headed to the main hall for dinner.

The next day she got a letter from Rose. The first thing Al must've done when he got home was go and talk to Rose. Her letter basically outlines all the ways in which Atria was stupid and had a death wish.

_...horribly stupid…. blah blah… _

_Anyways, I cannot wait to see you at the wedding. I think I'm going to invite Amanda. She's been down lately and going to James's game really brightened her mood, so I think bringing her to Spain would be nice for her. _

Atria rolled her eyes. Of course going to Spain would be nice for Amanda.

_You two are going to have matching scars now. What dress are you wearing? Is your scar going to show at the wedding? I spoke will Albus and he said the it was pretty bad. Does it hurt?_

Atria stopped reading. She was having a difficult time following all of Rose's questions and it made her head her. She scanned the letter and looked for any mention of Scorpius. Were they still fighting?

_Scorpius is going to Spain at the same time we'll be there. _That was the only thing she said about him which meant they were probably still fighting. Just lovely.

Two weeks later, Atria was waiting for Lily to come out of the bathroom in her bride's maid dress. Much to the horror of everyone in Gryffindor, Victoire had chosen green and silver for her bride's maids. They had spent months going around and around trying to find a color that suited everyone. With Lily and Rose's red hair, Dom's and their other cousin Elise's silvery hair, and Roxanne's dark hair green and silver were the only colors that would complement everyone.

"Hurry up!" Atria shouted, flipping through an old copy of _Witch Weekly_. She was lying on her side, facing the door, on the bed with her hand propping up her head.

"How's this?" Lily stepped out in her chiffon dress that came down to the knees. Atria whistled.

"James is never going to let you speak with a boy again." Atria said up, swinging her legs to the floor.

Lily looked at herself in the mirror. "He's in Wales, what's he going to do about it?" Lily grinned at the thought.

Atria sighed, "It's going to be weird without him and Freddie."

Lily scoffed, "It's going to be better… no big brother looming over me."

"Um… Albus." Atria willed herself not to blush. They had kissed and that was that. It wasn't like they were in a relationship. No… they just had to live down the hall from each other and have family dinners together. And his parents were the forces of good who tried to stop the forces of evil and she was basically the product of those forces of evil. _Snap out of it!_

Lily shrugged, "Albus isn't as bad as James. I'm worried about Rose being the fun stealer this year. She's going to be Head Girl."

"Yea, but don't worry… I'll make sure she retains some of her fun side." Atria laughed and went over to Lily. They stood in front of the full length mirror. "When is everyone else coming anyways?"

"Oh, it's just me and my mum and Uncle Charlie and you here today. Aunt Gabrielle and Elise will be here tomorrow but the rest of the family won't be here until Thursday. Well, if you don't include Victoire's immediate family. Dom and Aunt Fleur and Uncle Bill will all be here later today. Everyone's working." Lily rolled her eyes at the end of her monologue.

"And Teddy?" Atria asked. She was excited to see Teddy again.

"He's not coming until Friday for the rehearsal dinner." Lily smoothed out the material of her dress. "Hair up or down?"

"Mm… up I think." Atria took Lily's hair and pinned it up. "Brilliant."

"Are you going to see Scorpius?" Lily asked. "Unzip me."

"I wanted to wait and take Rose, or rather make Rose come with me." Atria pulled down the zipper.

"Good luck. I tried to ask her once a few weeks ago and she shut me down." Lily went into the bathroom. "I say you go convince Scorpius to come to the wedding."

"Would Victoire be okay with that? Doesn't she have the seats all arranged?"

"Well, for the actual wedding the seats are outside to we can just add another chair to a row. Or we could just invite him the reception afterwards." Lily called out.

"That might be a better idea. I doubt he would want to come to the wedding anyways." Atria hollered and Lily came out in a robe. "Maybe I'll go tomorrow before everyone else gets here on Thursday."

Lily frowned. "What am I supposed to do then?"

"Help with the wedding."

Atria looked in the mirror, making sure everything was in place. Her hair was a natural dirty blonde color, her cheekbones weren't as severe as they usually were, and her eyes were a dull brown. She looked like just another face in the crowd and she was positive that with the subtle changes she had made to her facial structure Scorpius's grandparents wouldn't recognize her.

She took a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace.

"Villa de Malfoy." She said and threw the green powder down.

She appeared in another fireplace that was looking out over an expensive dining room. Atria was sure why you would need an eighteen person table for a vacation villa but that's just how purebloods and rich people worked.

As she stepped out of the fireplace, Scorpius rushed into the room. He did a double take when he saw her. "What-"

"I thought it would be best." Atria said, her tone saying not to question it. Scorpius nodded nervously.

"My grandparents want to meet you, but if you don't want to I understand. We'll just leave before they even know you're here. I don't want you to feel like you have to meet them-"

"Scorpius," Atria snapped and took a breath, "it's fine. I should meet them… for a second." She mumbled and gave him a reassuring smile that was totally fake. He nodded curtly and then turned to leave the way he came in.

She followed.

"They're just in the salon." He mumbled and Atria noted that they traveled through a few more rooms before they reached the salon. The salon was tastefully decorated in dark greens and maroons. Heavy drapes covered the windows and it was a dark and somewhat gloomy room. A man with whitish blonde hair sat next to a woman with greyish black hair, both falling to their backs.

The couple didn't turn around as Scorpius and Atria entered the room, they only stopped speaking in hushed tones. The room went silent.

Scorpius led her around the front, shooting her anxious looks like asking her _you want to back out?_ She gave him a reassuring smile as she followed him to stand in front of his grandparents. Cool, judging eyes met hers with the same gunmetal grey Scorpius's eyes had.

"Scorpius, who is this?" Narcissa Malfoy asked, giving Atria a once over.

Atria looked back dully at the old woman.

"This is the friend that I was telling you about." He responded vaguely.

Lucius tilted his head. "All you told us was that you had a friend. You never mentioned who they were or any manner of particulars." Scorpius swallowed.

Atria stepped forward quickly, deflecting Lucius's hard glare from Scorpius. "I'm Attie Williams. I go to Hogwarts and I'm with Scorpius in Slytherin." Atria stared them down. She had learned not to show these types of people fear. They respected you if you looked them in the eyes.

Lucius's eyes slid to her's. "Williams? I've never heard that name before."

Atria shrugged. "My family is mostly magical but I think we had a muggleborn somewhere along the line."

Narcissa examined her. "So you're a…"

"Mostly a pureblood, but I'm not into that stuff." Atria clarified and she saw Scorpius shoot her a cautious look.

"No?" Lucius smiled cooly.

"Don't get me wrong," Now Scorpius was shooting her a panicked look, "I'm a Slytherin, I like power and I like outsmarting people. I just don't think that has anything to do with blood." Scorpius looked ready to drop dead. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were looking at her like they were stalking prey.

"Interesting." Lucius's lips curled up further.

"Blood is just an excuse to get power," Atria stared at him, "for example, Tom Riddle-"

"Attie!" Scorpius shouted.

Atria didn't look away from Lucius. "Well, he was a half-blood and you all followed him to promote the agenda of purebloods... or was it that you just liked the power he offered?" She asked innocently and Narcissa gasped. Lucius stopped seeing her as prey and started looking at her like she was a predator.

"How dare you-"

"Sorry." Atria looked disinterestedly at her nails, her heart leaping in her chest. When she started speaking she had felt bold and angry and now she felt like she had just done something unnecessarily stupid. But she had learned to never show these people fear. If they smelled blood, they would attack. "Something I say too much. Scorpius we should go." And then she took his hand and marched out of the room leaving the Malfoy's standing there with their jaws hanging and their mouths foaming in anger.

"You have a death wish." Scorpius said simply once they were out of the house. He stared blankly ahead. Atria took a deep shaky breath.

"I got a little worked up." She admitted and noted her hair that was fading from red to purple.

"So you decide suicide is a good option." He hissed, finally looking at her. "You just got out of the hospital-"

"That was two weeks ago."

He ignored her. "- And now you threaten Death Eaters." He finished.

"It seemed like a good idea." She mumbled. Scorpius glared at her.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you do these dangerous things?"

Atria let out a frustrated groan. "I already had this lecture from Albus."

"And what did he say?" Scorpius ran his hands through his hair.

"He said he didn't get it either."

Scorpius looked at her. "The next time you jump off a broom, fight a dragon, or piss of a killer remember that there are people who care about you." He took a deep breath. "And you're hurting them."

**Sorry this took so long! I have had a major case of writers block. This isn't the best chapter it hops back and forth a lot, but let me know what you think and if you liked it. - Alex. **


	21. Wedding Cheer

Atria groaned and gave Scorpius a threatening look.

"Just apologize!" She threw her hands in the air.

"I haven't done anything! I'm not even sure what we're fighting about." Scorpius snapped. A few people looked at them and then went back to their coffee. They were sitting in a muggle cafe in some Spanish town that Atria hadn't bothered to learn the name of.

"That's why you need to apologize. You've upset Rose, so just talk about it and then move on. You lot have to room together this year and that's not going to be pleasant if you're at each other's throats." Atria hissed. "And she's mad at you because of Jenny and Sal." She told him. Scorpius gasped.

"Why would she be mad about Sal, I'm the one who's supposed to be mad about Sal?" He outraged and Atria shook her head. Seriously, for a top student/Head Boy prospect, Scorpius was an idiot.

"She's mad at you because you act like Rose shouldn't date Sal solely based on the reason that you don't like him-"

"You don't like him either." Scorpius interjected.

"I know, but I'm going to support her until we have concrete reason not to. And it's different that I don't like him, I'm not dating someone that she hates." Atria pointed out and dumped some sugar into her tea and stirred it.

"I'm not dating Jenny anymore." Scorpius said immediately.

"She just doesn't like it when people tell her what to do. She needs to come to her own conclusion about Sal." Atria told him him.

"What if they get together and stay together?" Scorpius looked like he might throw up.

Atria sighed, "Look, I'll support her, but I don't think that's going to happen. He's just not right for her," Due to the fact that Atria was pretty sure he was a Death Eater, "but in the mean time, I'll support her."

"Even if they break up, Rose will find someone new." Scorpius muttered hatefully.

"And you'll just have to accept that." Atria said slowly, taking in Scorpius's behavior. He took a long drink from his coffee, probably wishing it was firewhiskey. He looked extremely distressed by the fact that Rose had a social life outside of their circle. "What's with the overprotective act?" Atria asked bluntly.

Scorpius sputtered. "I don't like Sal." Hhe mumbled eventually.

"Me either." Atria agreed, "I think he had something to do with the dark mark over the school." She admitted and he blanched.

"And yet you're supporting Rose."

"Yes, because I have no proof."

Scorpius sighed and they sat in silence for a few minutes. Atria watched people come and go. She thought about the muggles and how boring their lives must be and how a few years ago she would have thrown up at the prospect of sitting in a muggle cafe.

"How do you like dragons?" Scorpius asked.

Atria shrugged. "I don't see dragons anymore. Now I'm stuck at a desk like the rest of you. Filing papers, doing reports… it isn't for me." She said dully, giving him a forced smile.

Scorpius opened his mouth but Atria didn't let him speak, "If you tell me that I'm too reckless I will punch you." Scorpius closed his mouth.

"How is Rose?" He asked after a long pause.

"She's freaking out. She can't wait to find out her test scores and she's worried that she won't be Head Girl… the list goes on and on." Scorpius nodded dejectedly, his jaw working. "And she misses you. So please, just apologize." She gave him a pleading look.

He wiped his hand down his face. "Fine."

"Excellent." Atria jumped up and took out a Euro. "I'll see you at the celebrations after the wedding!" She started to walk away.

"You're leaving?" Scorpius stood up.

"Yea, I just had to get you to apologize to Rose." She laughed and then left. He dropped his head back and groaned.

Scorpius arrived late to the afterparty. He immediately began searching for Rose. He ignored Freddie and quickly greeted Mrs. Potter, but then focused only on Rose. He could have sworn he saw a smirk on Atria's face, but he didn't pay any notice to her. Victoire looked beautiful, her hair was done up in a fancy way…

Scorpius's thought process stopped. The first thing he noticed was her neck. It was showing and looked like creamy porcelain. And then his eyes worked their way up to her face. Rose almost never wore anything other than some mascara, but today her cheeks were pinker and some freckles that usually resided on her nose were gone. Her lips were a deeper pink and her eyes looked more green than hazel, probably because of the eyeliner.

Scorpius took a deep breath and then strode toward her. She was on the outskirts of the dancing floor, her hands folded in front of her, watching the party. When her gaze met his, he stumbled a bit. Scorpius had forgotten how piercing Rose's eyes were, he had always felt like she could see right through him.

"Hi." He said softly.

"Hello." Rose replied, looking at the ground.

There was an awkward pause. Scorpius looked around and tried to think of something to say. "You look lovely." He noticed that she was wearing Slytherin colors and smiled. "Really lovely."

"Thank you." The right corner of her mouth lifted and then smoothed back into a flat line, but it gave him hope to see that ghost of a smile. He opened his mouth. "So who talked you into it?"

"Hmm?" He mumbled stupidly.

"Albus? Atria? Amanda? I bet it was Attie. When did you even see her?"

Scorpius held his hands up. "Slow down. Yes, I spoke with Atria, but I came to talk to you because I wanted to." He took a step forward, giving her his softest smile.

She looked up at him through her long lashes. "Really? Are you going to apologize?"

He took a deep breath. "Yes. I shouldn't have tried to control you. You are allowed to spend time with whomever you so choose, even if I don't approve." He clenched his teeth, thinking of slimy Salvatore.

"And…?"

"And I was a hypocrite." He concluded and dropped his head in shame.

Suddenly he was thrown back as Rose jumped into his arms. "I've missed you." She whispered in his ear.

His throat felt constricted as he said, "Me too. I never want to go that long without talking to you again." She pulled away and smile up at him keeping her arms around his waist.

_I love you. _Scorpius's eyes shot wide. Judging by the way she hadn't sprung away from him he hadn't said that outloud. He immediately tried to rationalize his thought process by telling himself of course he loved her. Like he loved Attie or Amanda or even Albus.

That lasted two seconds before he realized that he wanted to kiss Rose senseless. He leaned in, but she just took that as an invitation to hug again.

"So how have you been?" She pulled back and stepped away. Scorpius felt a severe drop in the temperature as he lost her body heat.

He cleared his throat and pushed his temporary loss of sanity to the back of his mind. "Alright. Busy working at the ministry and everything." Rose nodded and frowned.

"I feel like we've missed too much this summer. It's our last summer before Hogwarts and we've barely seen each other. And I'm not talking about you and me, it's everyone - Amanda, Attie…"

"It does feel like things are falling apart." Scorpius agreed and downed a glass of butterbeer.

"Two of our best friends were poisoned, one of them by Death Eaters… this year isn't turning out the way I always dreamed it would." Scorpius saw her eye shine and knew that she was about to cry.

"Everything will work itself out. The Death Eaters will be gone and everything will go back to normal." Scorpius assured her, but even he didn't believe it. No matter how this played out there was going to be casualties and things wouldn't ever be the same. "So depressing," Scorpius murmured and Rose bit her lip.

Scorpius forced himself not to stare.

"Oh, Grandma's calling me over. I'll be right back." Rose said and she walked past him. He turned to watch her go. She was talking to more relatives that he didn't know and he watched the way she played with the hem of her dress.

"Hello, Malfoy."

Scorpius focused his eyes and realized that Ron Weasley was standing next to him.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley." He cleared his throat nervously.

"How've you been?"

Scorpius swallowed, not sure where this was going. "Alright. And you."

Ron nodded. "Busy with the Death Eaters."

"Do you know anything? I mean, anything you're allowed to tell me." Scorpius prodded.

"We don't know a whole lot either. We know that we captured Death Eaters, and technically we're not supposed to call them death eaters, but we don't know who they are. We don't have a lot of information." Ron sighed and rubbed his temple.

"Why not?"

"Well, once they were in Azkaban we didn't see the need. They disappeared and it wasn't until they broke out that it was confirmed that they are Death Eaters, but by then it was too late to get personal information."

"You didn't get names?"

"More like they wouldn't give names."

Scorpius sighed, "Brilliant. So you have nothing." Ron glared at him and Scorpius swallowed. Maybe insulting Rose's father wasn't the best idea so he took a deep breath.

"We need information. Unfortunately, there is no one who can give us what we need."

They both took long gulps from their drinks.


	22. Castel Lestrange

All J.K. Rowling. - Alex

OOO

Atria gave Charlie a reassuring smile and shouldered her duffle bag. Muggles were walking around them and others were boarding the train.

"I have to go." Atria sighed.

"But you can't tell me where you're going?" Charlie huffed and the train whistled.

"I told you... I'm going to France." Atria argued and took a sneaky step toward the train. Charlie glared at her.

"Reckless behavior isn't just riding a dragon, it's also going off to a foreign country alone and no one knows where you are. You could at least tell me what city, an address-"

"I'm just going on a one day vacation. I'll see you at work tomorrow." Atria took a few steps closer to the compartment door. She laughed at the fact that Charlie was worried about where she was going. In truth, she was worried too but not for the same reasons. She could handle herself in a foreign country, but she was worried about handling herself in her own home.

"Ginny is not going to be happy." Charlie groaned and rubbed his temple.

"She doesn't need to know. I'll be in France for twelve hours, hardly anything to get worked up over." Atria said and then boarded the train without giving Charlie a chance to argue with her. She put her duffle in an overhead bunk and then took a seat.

Now that she was on the train, she started to freak out a bit. Yes, she was technically a Lestrange, but she was also technically not a Lestrange. She was a Lestrange by marriage not blood, and that could be dangerous. The last time she had been there it was with her mother and father. They had been one small somewhat happy family. Until her mum had killed her dad. Oh, happy days.

But how would the enchantments react to her? Her picture was hanging with the rest of her family. It had been automatically added when she had been born and grew with her and changed as she had. That made her think about what Scorpius had told her.

It couldn't possibly be true that the Aurors didn't know who they had placed in Azkaban. If the Death Eaters had stayed silent that whole time... well, that was good for her secret but bad for the general wizarding population. The Aurors had no idea who they were even searching for. And there were other things that didn't make sense. How had they gotten out?

Atria hadn't wanted to think about it that much, but now that she was it didn't make sense. Her mum wasn't powerful enough to overcome dementors and she wasn't smart enough to plan ahead. At least, not that Atria knew. Those last few years, she barely recognized her mum, so who knew what she was capable of. The more she thought about it, though, the more she was convinced they had to have a man on the inside and the more she was convinced that man was Salvatore.

Maybe Al was right and she should put a stop her Rose and Sal. The problem was that if Atria was wrong, Rose would never forgive her. If she didn't support Rose, she would never forgive Atria. But if Atria was right, she would never forgive herself for not doing something. No, Atria would have to wait for proof and then as soon as she did, Atria would let the Aurors take care of Sal.

"Miss."

Atria opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She looked around and the train was empty except for the conductor looking down on her.

"Paris, France… last stop." He told her and then walked away. Atria took a deep breath, amazed at how quickly the ride had passed. She sat up and stretched her arms above her head, then stood up and grabbed her duffle bag from the crate overhead.

The air on the platform smelled like smoke and Atria coughed, pulling her coat collar over her nose. All around people were smoking and she was relieved to get out of the terminal and into the fresh air.

Now she had to get to Castel Lestrange from here. She had never come in from the muggle world before, but she imagined it would be similar to entering from the wizarding world. Even if you flooed to Paris, instead of taking the train, there was still quite a bit of hike until you reached the estate.

Atria took a cab to the outskirts of Paris.

"This is where you will be wanting?" The cabbie asked in thick French accent. Atria looked over the countryside where there wasn't a house in sight and nodded.

"Yes."

The cabbie shook his head and then drove off.

Atria closed her eyes as her lip trembled and she could feel the tears stinging in her eyes. She quickly wiped the wetness off her face, unsure why she was even crying. Was it because she was afraid walk into her family's mansion, and it might be the last thing she ever did? The spells and charms placed on Castel Lestrange might see her as impure now.

Or was it because she missed it? She missed her mother… her old mother and she missed the life they used to have. Atria wished that she could have with her mother was she had with the Potter's.

She apparated from hilltop to hilltop until she reached the old willow tree.

Dear Merlin, it had withered since she had last been here. It didn't look half as enchanting as she remembered. She took that as a sign that her mother hadn't been here in awhile.

Atria pulled out her wand and took a deep breath, blinking several times. She touched the tip of her wand to a notch in the tree. To any passerby it could just look like an interesting bark pattern, but as she drew her wand down the center of the symbol the tree began to crack open. The first time she went to Diagon Alley, it had reminded her of this.

As she stepped through the barrier, she came face to face with the black metal gate, or as she liked to call it nowadays The Entrance to Hell.

Now, it was do or die time. She never quite understood this part. Her mother had explained that the house could tell, it knew if you were worthy, but she had never gotten it.

She placed her palm against the large circular pattern that was connecting the gates. She could already spot the rose gardens that surrounded the front of the house. Her palm burned a little as the gate glowed beneath her hands and she could feel that sensation travel all the way up her arm and over her chest, then to her brain.

Atria shut her eyes and waited for the biting pricks to secede.

She opened her eyes when the pricking stopped and the heat died starting in her head and began to fade over the rest of her body.

"Guess I'm worthy." Atria muttered and felt a twinge of guilt. Did this mean that in the back of her head she still believed all of the rubbish her parents had spouted? No, that was impossible.

She loved Rose, who was a half-blood, and the rest of the Wotter clan. When she looked at a person she hardly even thought about whether or not they were a pureblood.

The gate slowly creaked open and Atria grasped her wand tighter. She slowly walked towards rose bushes that came to life. One of the branches snapped and Atria jumped away from the thorns.

"AHH!" She cried out as something sharp came around her wrist. Her wand fired off defensively and the pretty flowers backed away from her and the pain in her wrist became less pressing.

When the snapping sound came back, Atria took a deep breath…

And then ran like hell towards the front door. Little pricks bit into her as she out ran all the thorns and evil roses

Before Atria even reached the tall front doors, they slowly opened creating a three foot wide crack. Just as she was running up the marble steps, the doors started to close.

"No!" Atria screamed and she slid in feet first.

The doors slammed behind her head and Atria breathed deeply. She smiled.

Then she was swallowed by the tile floor and fell into black hole.

Amanda smiled as she listened to Rose rant about the wedding.

"Sounds like quite the affair." Amanda pulled her hair up, and looked at herself in the mirror. Rose came out of her bathroom in a green and pink flowery sundress.

"That looks good." Rose told Amanda. "You have a nice neck."

A laugh bubbled up in Amanda. "A nice neck?"

"Yes, you should show it off." Rose grinned and sat down on her bed. "What are you going to wear?" Amanda frowned at herself in the mirror.

She was wearing ripped jean shorts and an old boating T-Shirt her dad had gotten her. She had extra hair bands around her wrist and flip flops that showed her chipped blue nail polish. " "I was planning on wearing this." Amanda said. Rose raised her eyebrows.

"I told you we were going out to lunch!" Rose protested.

"You asked if I wanted to have lunch with you!" Amanda argued. "I didn't know that meant getting dressed up and going out."

Rose smiled. "We're having lunch with Albus, James, Scorpius, and Freddie."

Amanda froze and spun around. "I'm not prepared for a lunch with… everyone!"

Rose jumped up and rushed over to her closet. "That's why you're going to change." She giggled and pulled a red shirt frilly shirt. "You can keep on the shorts, but the shirt and shoes have to go." She tossed the shirt at Amanda's face.

"These flip flops-"

"Are flip flops." Rose cut her off and held up a pair of strappy sandals that had a two inch heel. "These are much cuter."

"Where are we going?" Amanda changed her shirt and smiled at her reflection. She took the shoes from Rose and kicked off her flip flops.

"Some muggle place in London. We're going to floo to a nearby place." Rose said while pinning the front pieces of her hair to the back of her head.

"And Scorpius is coming?" Amanda looked sideways at Rose.

"Yes, we spoke at the wedding." Rose's ears turned a bit red. "Everything's alright now. I can't even remember what we were fighting about really." She chuckled awkwardly.

"You pissed because he was putting his libido above your friendship."

Rose choked out a laugh. "Thanks for reminding me."

"We should go. What time are we supposed to be there?" Amanda looked at her phone.

"One o'clock."

Amanda did a double take at her phone. "It's almost one thirty."

"I know." Rose draped a bag over her shoulder. "We're late."

Amanda barked out a short laugh. "Come on then."

When they got down stairs Mrs. Weasley asked where they were going.

"We're meeting James and a few other friends for lunch." Rose told her mum. "And we're late so we're going to rush off." She kissed Mrs. Weasley on the cheek.

"Nice to see you again Amanda." Hermione smiled and started folding laundry. "Feel free to stay after you get back. We're having chicken for dinner."

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley."

Rose apparated them both to a back alley that Amanda was unfamiliar with.

"It's a few blocks from here, but this is a popular place to apparate to because it's so hidden." Rose explained as she ran a few fingers through her hair. "Did apparating mess up my hair?" She asked nervously.

"No, your hair is brilliant, as always." Amanda smirked. "Besides who cares?" Amanda laughed carelessly and Rose smiled shyly. Amanda opened her mouth to ask Rose why she had a secretive smile on her face, but when Rose turned away Amanda shut her mouth. Suddenly Rose was trying to impress someone?

Amanda frowned. Her cousins? We're having lunch with her cousins… Amanda's eyes widened. And Scorpius.

It all fell into place. Rose had been furious, and hurt, when Scorpius started messing around with that hag Jenny. She had been jealous and now that they finally fixed it…

Amanda grinned. Rosie and Scorpius! Together! She jogged to catch up with Rose.

"So are you excited to see Scorpius?" Amanda blurted. Scorpius had certainly been pissy enough when Rose hadn't ben speaking to him.

Rose blushed. "Of course. It was horrible not talking to him. I missed him."

Amanda eyed her knowingly, but Rose stared straight ahead. "Well, it's a good thing you're on the same page because you're going to be living together this year." Rose sputtered.

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to be Head's." Duh.

Rose scoffed. "We don't know that."

"Everyone knows that."

Rose tried to conceal a grin. "Maybe." She shrugged casually, but Amanda knew she was thrilled to hear that. "Here it is." They stopped outside of little cafe where people were sitting outside, an unusual occurrence in rainy London.

The door was propped open and a menu was taped to the window. As soon as they walked in Amanda noticed the boys immediately. Scorpius's platinum blonde cap was a dead giveaway and so was the preppy blonde waitress who was flipping her hair and batty her eyes at James.

"Hey." Rose bounced over to their table, probably not even noticing the waitress who was giving her a dirty look. It was understandable - the waitress probably wasn't used to stunningly beautiful redheads interrupting her flirting.

"Rosie!" James jumped up and threw his arms open, nearly smacking the waitress in the face. "How have you been?"

Rose rolled her eyes and hugged James. "I saw you two days ago." Did it make Amanda a bad person that she wished James had smacked the waitress?

"And nothing life altering has happened in the last two days?" James joked.

"Not particularly." Rose sat down in the chair Scorpius pulled out next to him. James moved to hug Amanda and she suppressed a smile. She wasn't really a giggler, but she was feeling so giddy she had to suppress a giggle as well.

Amanda wasn't quite sure why she wanted to laugh, but she did. Somehow everything seemed perfect in that moment. Everyone was safe and having lunch in a muggle cafe, despite everything that happened. Atria was off making friends with dragons and the Aurors were hunting down the Death Eaters.

All worry seemed to suspend.

At least until she caught sight of the red-faced waitress.

Amanda couldn't help but smirk when she said to the waitress, "I'll take a coffee please."

The waitress twirled around and flounced off before Rose could put her order in.

"Aw, I wanted a tea." Rose slumped into her chair and Scorpius threw his arm around her.

"Have some of mine." He pushed his cup in front of her. Amanda studied Scorpius and noted his slightly flushed cheeks and it seemed like he was trying not to look at Rose, even when he spoke to her. _What was that about? I thought they were friends again. _ Amanda smiled to herself. _Possibly more than friends..._

"So how have things been?" Albus asked Amanda. "I haven't seen you all summer. Are you feeling alright?"

Amanda sighed. "I'm perfectly alright, but I wish everyone else would believe it. It took so much begging for my parents to let me leave the house."

"They let you come to my match." James frowned.

"Yes and that took a lot of begging as well." Amanda looked sideways at him and his eyes flared.

She looked away quickly and focused on Rose and Scorpius. Scorpius still had his arm around the back of Rose's chair and still wasn't making eye contact with her.

Freddie interrupted her thoughts, "It's weird not to be going back to Hogwarts this year."

James nodded, "Never thought I would miss school."

Albus groaned, "I'm not excited for N.E.W.T.'s."

"Not to mention Qui- I mean um… leg ball." James coughed and Amanda rolled her eyes. She seemed to be rolling her eyes a lot in James's presence.

"Football." She corrected him.

James pointed his fork at Albus. "You'd better win."

"You didn't." said Albus and James gasped.

"Not my fault. It seems our seeker had a little problem seeking." James drawled out and Amanda smacked his arm.

"Slytherin is just better," She stated smugly. "It's not that you lot are bad, we're justing excellent." Freddie laughed in agreement. James gave her a reproachful look.

Rose huffed, "Really, can we talk about something other than Quidditch?"

Amanda's eyes lit up. "I thought you would be interested in Quidditch after that fit player on James's team chatted you up." She watch Scorpius turned his head and frown at Rose, finally looking at her. Albus seemed to notice Rose and Scorpius too, if him leaning back in his chair to watch the show was any indication. Did he realize that they fancied each other or was he just confused by Scorpius's behaviour?

"Who was this?"

Rose sighed. "No one really." She insisted and Scorpius lowered his eyebrows. "I hardly remember him."

"I remember him." Amanda said cheerfully, "He was absolutely gorgeous and tall and muscular-"

"Sounds wonderful." Freddie rolled his eyes.

Albus laughed, "Maybe you should date him." He suggested.

James shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Amanda's heart jumped. "Rose is right, I get enough Quidditch at work. This conversation is starting to hurt my head." The waitress finally came back with a coffee set it down roughly on the table.

"Well, the weather is lovely today." Rose remarked and everyone groaned.

"The weather? Seriously?" Albus shook his head.

Rose stuck her chin up. "Well, it is."

James sighed. "This is what we've been reduced to." Amanda rolled her eyes and folded her arms, biting her cheek to keep from grinning.

Atria's screamed was trapped in her throat.

Her grandfather's eyes boring into her soul and the darkness made the red glow all the more frightening.

Bellatrix's cackle echoed in the pitch black and Atria whirled around but saw nothing. When she turned back Voldemort was gone. She was alone standing in a sea of black unable to scream. Everything she once felt seemed to be a different life. Her memories were dimming and becoming hazy.

Albus she thought and her heart jumped. She remember the first time they met and the darkness seemed to fall away. She thought of Rose and Scorpius and that seemed to clear away more of the haze.

Her eyes snapped open. She hadn't even realized they were shut. She was standing in the Hall of Portraits where a painting of every Lestrange family member was, including hers.

"Bloody hell." She breathed and put her hands to her cheeks. Atria wasn't sure why she did that, maybe to make sure she was real and it wasn't a nightmare.

Light shown on the pictures from the pointed glass ceiling and she started walking down the hall.

"Who is this?" A voice hissed. Based on the ancient dress she guessed it was a long dead ancestor of the Lestrange Family. There were large portraits and small ones, each representing a member of the Lestrange Family. There were extended family, family by marriage, and then people like her - children by marriage. Technically only her mother was a Lestrange and she had been married in.

"It's that girl at the end of the hall." A woman said pointedly.

As she reached the end of the hall, A tria saw her mother. She fumed and stormed by.

And then paused when her mum didn't even say anything to her. Not even a where have you been and why didn't you break me out of turned around and took a step closer to where her mother's medium sized portrait hung.

"What the hell?" Atria muttered and stared at her mum's unmoving portrait.

"She's been like that for years." A portrait of a man eating grapes told her.

Atria's eyes wided. "What's wrong?"

"No idea. One morning I woke up and she was frozen. Very strange." He shook his head.

Atria poked the painting with the rip of her wand, but nothing happened.

For the next half hour, she recalled every spell she could think of that would bring the painting back to life.

"How long has she been stuck like this." Atria asked feverently.

The man in the painting shrugged. "Let's see… six or seven years I supose. Right around the time the Ministry decided werewolves should be considered wizarding citizens." The man sneered and gave her a disgusted look. She ignored him and her eyes went wide with realization.

That had been around the time that her father died. What does that mean?

After that Atria went around the house but it was all a blur. The important thing was that it looked like no one had lived there for a while. Aside from when a suit of armour tried to attack her, everything went alright. Castel Lestrange was exactly as cold as she remembered it to be.

By the time she made it past the killer roses and back to the tree it was completely dark. When she touched the tree with her wand the light that came out seemed so much brighter in the inky darkness.

Charlie would be pleased. For once she would be on time and everything had gone according to plan.


	23. You're The Only One Who is Surprised

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling is a goddes. Just saying. **

"MUM!" Rose squealed at the top her lungs. It felt like a swarm of butterflies had taken off in her chest and she couldn't stop giggling.

Hermione burst through the door a moment later clutching a knife. "What?" She spun around frantically as if looking for an attacker.

"I made Head Girl!" Rose grinned and shook the paper in front of her mum's face and clutched her badge in the other hand.

Hermione quickly set the knife down on Rose's dresser and threw her arms around her daughter. "Oh darling, I am so proud of you. Let's go out and celebrate! When your father made prefect Grandma got him a special gift. Is there anything you would like?"

Rose opened her mouth and million thoughts rushed to her head. A new quill? A car? An owl? Possibly the new Hogwarts, A History?

"I don't know!" She exclaimed and her mother smiled.

"You can think about it over dinner. Where do you want to go?"

"How about… Pierre's? We haven't been there in months."

"Sure, let's go tell your father." Hermione grabbed the knife.

Rose hesitated. "Wait… I want to go see Scorpius before dinner. Maybe he got Head Boy." Rose smiled at the prospect. Who else could it be anyways?

"Sure." Hermione glanced at Rose's alarm clock that read 2:39. "Let's do dinner at seven. Do you know how to get to Malfoy Manor?" Rose hated to talk about the Malfoy's house in front of her mum.

"Yes, I'll be back at 6:30." Rose was already getting her jacket and bag. She stuffed her badge and letter into her bag.

Rose had always found Malfoy Manor to be a bit intimidating. She had only been there twice. When she actually got to the house, a house elf escorted her into the sitting room.

"Miss is going to be waiting here." The house elf squeaked and the left the room. Rose took a sip of her water and tried to take normal breaths. A minute later she heard feet pounding down the marble staircase. Scorpius flew into the room clutching a piece of paper. Rose blushed when she saw the "V" of his hips.

And how did she see the "V"? He wasn't wearing a shirt, just a pair of sweatpants.

"You got it." He exhaled.

She held up her letter and grinned. He strode over to her and she launched into his arms. He spun her around.

"This is going to be the best year ever. I was so worried… but of course you were going to make Head Girl." He shook his head and put her down. She was breathing deeply from the exhilaration.

"I was worried too." She admitted. "My mum was so excited. We're going for dinner later."

"My parents are actually away for the weekend." Scorpius said.

A brilliant idea popped into her head. "You could come for dinner with us."

Scorpius hesitated. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to intrude."

Rose hit his shoulder playfully. "Don't be silly. It will be perfect. Mum said I could get a present but I have no idea what I want."

"What about a new set of robes?" Scorpius suggested.

Rose shook her head. "Mine still fit me from last year."

Scorpius smirked. "I'm going to need mine tailored because I've grown another three inches." Rose huffed.

"It's so unfair how tall you are."

"At least you're not as short as Attie."

Rose laughed. "That's true." She was a good three inches taller than Attie.

"Let me go get dressed." Scorpius said and Rose almost protested. "Walk me to my room?" Rose nodded, thinking this would be the first time she had ever been in Scorpius's room. He led her down a series of halls more intricate than the Potter's, and that was saying something.

"What sort of place are we going to?" He asked and he pushed open one of the french doors leading to his room. Rose marveled at how big and clean it was. Her eyes fell on his king sized bed. The sheets looked like they were satin and although it was a simply gray, Rose thought it was the most beautiful things she had ever seen. It had a canopy above it that was a mix of shades of green and the crystal chandelier cast a brilliant light over it.

His room was nothing short of spectacular. Scorpius even had his over couch and sitting area. Who had a sitting area in their room?!

"This is beautiful." Rose said in awe. Scorpius poked his head out from behind a door. She had barely even noticed that he had moved.

He shrugged. "You get used to it." He came out wearing a silk dress shirt and suit jacket. The gray really made his eyes pop. Hold on, was that his closet?

"I don't think I ever could." She sat down on the plush couch and look up at the arched ceiling. Scorpius followed her to the sitting area and plopped down next to her.

"Do you want tea?" He asked.

"No thanks I just had some."

The was a pause. Rose bit her lip and looked around once more. There was simply too much to take in. When she looked back at Scorpius he was staring at her.

"I'm so excited." She said to fill the silence.

Scorpius gave her a lopsided grin. "Me too."

"I feel like we have so much to do. When do we create the prefect schedules? After Quidditch schedules come out, I suppose." She answered her own question. "I wonder what else there is. I mean, I sort of know because I asked Victoire, but I bet there's so much more we don't know. And we should do a ball or a dance or something. Mum was telling me a few weeks ago about how they had a Yule Ball when she was there and how it was amazing! Wouldn't that be fun?"

Scorpius blinked a few times. "That was too much for me to process." He told her.

Rose shrunk into the couch. "Sorry, I'm just nervous. What if I screw it up? What if I'm a rubbish Head Girl?"

He shrugged. "Who cares?"

Rose eyes widened her mouth flopped open and closed.

Scorpius quickly added, "But you won't be. You're going to be a great Head."

Rose took a breath. "You're right. I'm freaking myself out."

"Yes, you are."

"Everything will be fine."

"Yep."

"I can't wait to tell everyone! They'll be so surprised." Rose exclaimed.

"No one will be surprised." Scorpius deadpanned.

Rose glanced at him. "Of course they will be."

"Rose, you are the only one who is surprised by this." Scorpius told her and her eyebrows went down. "Who else would it have been? Atria? Albus?" He snorted.

"Amanda." Rose put in.

"True, but she doesn't have your grades. Plus she's busy with Quidditch."

Rose gave him a pointed look. "You're going to be busy with Quidditch."

"Exactly. Both Heads can't be busy with Quidditch."

"I can't wait to owl everyone."

"Freddie and James will be so disappointed in you." He shook his head, giving her a disapproving look.

"Who cares what they think?" said Rose.

Scorpius laughed and then chuckled to himself for a moment. Rose looked at him curiously, but he just gave her a guarded smirk.

"What time are we going for dinner?"

"At 7 o'clock. I told mum I'd be home by 6:30."

Scorpius glanced at his clock. Plenty of time.

"How're things going with James? Does he like being a professional Quidditch player?" Scorpius asked after a pregnant pause. Why does the silence seem so heavy all the sudden? He felt like they used to be able to sit in silence for hours while studying. Um… maybe it has something to do with the fact you had an emotional heart attack at the wedding reception? Scorpius's inner voice mocked him.

He pushed that away. The next day he had spent hours thinking about that and he realized it was just a silly little thought. It was a wedding and he was being emotional and thinking about the future. Rose just happened to be one of his best friends and she had looked particularly gorgeous. Sure, he couldn't imagine life without her, but that didn't mean he was in love with her.

"Oh, he loves it. I think he's happy he chose to play for the Harpies. Even though he's not getting as much playing time, he is learning a lot." Rose prattled on and drew Scorpius away from his thoughts. "Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry are really happy for him.

"Mrs. Potter must be really proud that her son followed in her footsteps." Scorpius said, simply because he felt like he should contribute something to the conversation rather than just watch her talk.

"She is." Rose agreed and then laughed to herself. When she noticed Scorpius giving her a confused look, she simply shook her head. "Are you looking forward to the Quidditch season? Captain and Head Boy…" She nudged his shoulder teasingly.

Scorpius sighed. "It's going to be hard work to keep things balanced…" He noted Ros's disapproving looked, "Of course, Head duties will always come first."

Rose shrugged. "Slytherin is probably going to win anyways."

He gasped at her. "Be still my beating heart! Did a Gryffindor and Weasley, just say Slytherin is the best." He teased.

Rose quickly opened her mouth. "Only in Quidditch." She snapped. "It's only logic. Gryffindor lost more players this year. Slytherin only lost Freddie so you'll only have to integrate one person into your system."

He just grinned at her.

"Shut up." She hissed, but had bite back a smile. "Not to mention Atria and Amanda."

"And me." Scorpius inserted.

Rose ignored. "Amanda's a really amazing keeper and Atria is… Attie."

"Rose Weasley, have you secretly been paying attention to Quidditch this whole time? Wait until I tell everyone."

Scorpius jumped up to avoid her fist.

"You're so mean." She huffed and stood up as well.

He grinned. "You love it."

She rolled her eyes and then looked at him sarcastically. "Yes, I do." She admitted dryly.

Scorpius smiled so hard his face almost broke.

Cake for breakfast. Why not? Amanda shrugged and she grabbed a big fork from the silverware drawer. Ice Cream cake was her favorite cake. Everything else was too dry and sweet. She especially loved the crunchy middle part and the icing - the icing on this particular cake was blue.

She started eating it, not even bothering to cut off a piece.

Her mum and dad were at work and she was home alone, basking in the silence -

Knock, knock!

Amanda froze halfway to taking another bite of the cake. She groaned, stood up slowly, and dragged herself to the front door. She swallowed the cake before opening the door.

James was leaning against her doorframe, looking very nice in a black leather jacket and low riding jeans. "Hey." He grinned. She stared at him for a moment and then blinked several times.

Why is he here?

"Why are you here?" She blurted out. James laughed and then pushed past her, stepping into the foyer.

"Just checking in." He shrugged. Merlin, that leather jacket really did amazing things for his eyes and shoulders… and hair. "Why are your lips blue?" He asked with a tinge of amusement.

Amanda touched her lips. "I was eating cake."

James's eyebrows drew together. "At nine in the morning?"

She started to stalk back to the kitchen. "Shut up." She mumbled and knew he was following her to the kitchen so he heard that.

"Can I ask why?"

"Because I wanted to."

"That's a good reason."

She shot him a dry look and resumed eating the cake, standing over the counter, not bothering to sit down. James looked at her curiously and watched her shovel cake in her mouth.

"What?" She snapped when he wouldn't stop staring.

"Can I have some?"

"At nine in the morning?" She mocked him. He just looked at her expectantly.

Amanda motioned to the drawer of silverware. "Go get a fork."

He came back with a spoon. He leaned on the counter next to her, so close she could feel his arm brush her's from time to time. "So what's with the cake? Was there a party I wasn't invited to?" He gave her a teasing look.

"Actually, yes." She smirked as he frowned.

"What party? Why wasn't I invited?" James demanded and Amanda laughed.

"My birthday party."

James choked on cake. "When was your birthday?"

"I was in the hospital but we just celebrated a few days ago." Amanda explained and James looked incredulous. "That's why we have ice cream cake." She said finally.

"Who knew about this?"

Amanda shrugged. "It was just family."

James stared at her with wide eyes. "We need to have a party." James said with finality. Now, it was Amanda's turn to look incredulous.

"Why?"

"Because this was your seventeenth birthday!" James exclaimed. "The big one seven! And you were in the hospital! You didn't get any presents-"

"Yes, I did."

James ignored her, "We need to celebrate properly! Let's go have a drink."

"We can't just go have a drink." Amanda argued.

"Of course we can! That's the upside of being seventeen. And you can do magic whenever you want-"

"James, it's also nine in the morning." She reminded him.

"Technically it's nine seventeen." He said seriously and she whacked him. "Oh, alright. Let's go later. Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron at six." And then he started for the door.

"Wait, why did you come?" She asked before he made it out the door. He looked over his shoulder.

"I told you, just checking in." He winked and then left.

Atria was really nervous. This will be the first time they had spoken since that night in Romania. They had avoided each other at the wedding, but there was no avoiding each other at home. Luckily, there was only two days before they had to leave for Hogwarts.

The she would go back to Slytherin and Al would go to Gryffindor. Except for when they were with their friends, which was always! Ugh, her plan of avoiding him was not going so well. She was accounting that night in the hospital to her being loopy on pain killing potions. Which she sort of had been still a bit out of it from being in a coma for two days.

She was waiting to bump into him in the house. Maybe they would go to the kitchen at the same time, or try to shower at the same time… or maybe they would just cross paths in the hallway. Anyways, Atria was sure he was avoiding her to because she had been home for three hours and Lily had come to see her, but Albus hadn't.

Knock, Knock.

Atria had spoken too soon. Her hair went blue and sh made sure the mark on her arm was gone. Albus peaked his head in her room, clutching a piece of parchment. Even from over here she could tell it was Scorpius's handwriting. The Malfoy seal was on the letter and the cursive look like calligraphy.

"I got a letter from Scorpius and Rose." He explained and Atria nodded. Then she frowned.

"Both of them?"

Albus inched the rest of the way in her room. "They both made Head. Apparently Rose was very surprised." He grinned a bit and Atria had so laugh.

"She's the only one."

"That's what Scor said."

An uncomfortable silence passed.

"So how was the rest of dragon camp?" He asked.

Atria lifted a shoulder and let it drop. "A bit boring." Albus smirked. "And you? With the joke shop?" What was wrong with her vocabulary? Suddenly she couldn't speak in full sentences? She reprimanded herself.

"Fun." He grinned and a shiver went down her back. She still hated him.

Sure, tell yourself that.

She cursed her inner voice_. I do hate him. I hate that he's making it so hard for me to hate him. _ She rolled her eyes to herself at that thought. That was possibly the stupidest thing she had ever thought. And that was saying something.

"Sorry, I haven't spoken to you." He inched a bit closer and she swallowed.

"Are you?" She was surprised.

"Yes, I am." He said firmly. "I shouldn't have avoided you…"

"We were avoiding each other." She admitted and pressed her lips together.

Albus took a step towards where she was sitting on the bed. Then he shut the door.

"I don't want to avoid you." His eyes bore into her's. "Remember how you said you didn't want to be tied down for summer? Because you were going away." He added and she nodded.

"It's not summer anymore." He whispered.

And then left her to mull that over.

Damnit! She flung herself back on the bed and screamed into the duvet.

***A/N: I can't believe I've been working on this for almost a year!This was a bit of a filler chapter but it was necessary. I've had a bit of writer's block recently and review's really help with that! Please review everytime you like something/dislike something/or wish something had happened! - Alex


	24. Head Duties and Dates

A week into seventh year and already Rose was panicking. There was just so much to do. First, she had to organize the prefect's schedules, then figure out when Hogsmeade weekends should be, and keep up on her own work. Scorpius was trying to organize Quidditch practices and help her plan the patrol schedule around Quidditch.

"Quidditch should be planned around patrols." Rose muttered. Scorpius just rolled his eyes at her like he had been doing for the last half hour.

"Alright let's work this Hogsmeade situation out. The second weekend in October is a good time to have it - not to early, but not too late. Then let's have one the third weekend in November and the last weekend before Christmas." Scorpius scribbled things down on a parchment.

Rose made a face. "Well, since you've got that all figured out…"

He ignored her. "But what I can't figure out is how we're going to do Valentine's Day. It's not on the weekend this year, it's on a Monday." Scorpius bit his lip. Rose blinked a few times. Scorpius had very nice lips.

"Just do it the weekend before." Rose shrugged. Now Scorpius made a face.

"That's not how it's supposed to be."

Rose laughed. "Who cares?"

"How about this? Instead of going into Hogsmeade Saturday and Sunday, we do Sunday and Monday, after classes?" He suggested and Rose leaned her cheek on her palm.

"I suppose that works."

Scorpius began writing and Rose sighed. It was so nice to have a private common room. It wasn't that she didn't miss all her friends, but sometimes it was nice to be able to sit in front of the fire without having to worry who was going to cause a loud commotion.

And she secretly prefered the silver and gold to the red and gold. I'm a horrible Gryffindor. Rose decided.

"And let's do one at the end of March and middle of April."

"Okay, but what about exams?" Rose asked.

Scorpius bit his lip. Rose really wished he would stop doing that. "I say we do one at the end of April and beginning of May. That way people can stay focused on the weeks before exams and get all of the excitement out." Scorpius nodded to himself and then looked to Rose for confirmation.

"That sounds good. But two in April, is that a bit much?"

"How about the middle of March, beginning and end of April? That spreads it out a bit more."

Rose nodded in agreement.

"Now about prefect duties…"

Rose took a deep breath and steeled herself for a boring next few hours.

wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

"Well, this is fun." Albus said sarcastically and quickly received a glare from the librarian.

Atria and Amanda glared at him.

"It's homework, it's not meant to be fun." Amanda whispered and went back writing her Ancient Runes essay. Atria glanced at Al quickly and then followed Amanda's example.

"Well, it's hard with Rosie not here to help." Albus said a minute later.

Is he incapable of being quiet? Atria wondered and smiled a bit.

"She had Head Duties." Amanda hissed impatiently, despite herself.

"I know." Al muttered miserably and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head. Atria caught a glimpse of his stomach when he did that. She took a deep breath and then really tried to focus on her essay.

The teachers are trying to drive us mad. Merlin, it's only the first week of school and…

Her thought process pretty much stopped when she felt a foot slide up and down her calf. She glanced at Al, but he was innocently looking at a DADA textbook. Maybe it was a mistake or her imagination?

She felt his foot nudged her's and this time when she looked he was trying to conceal a grin. She kicked his foot and gave him a cold look. He simply smiled at her. And the pattern continued for another few minutes until Amanda stood up.

"I'm going back to the dorm. I'll see you later." She said in an unusual lackluster tone. Atria frowned at her retreating figure and wondered why Amanda had been to blue recently.

But she quickly forgot about Amanda when she turned threateningly to Albus.

"What the bloody hell was that?" She whispered furiously.

He blinked innocently. "What?"

"You know what!" Atria hissed quietly.

Albus leaned over the table and Atria pulled back a bit. "I was proving a point."

Atria scoffed. "What point?"

"That you want me."

Atria barked out a laugh and then quieted down. "By annoying me?"

"You're not annoyed." He said casually and then pinned her with a disarming stare. "Your cheeks are very red." He pointed out.

"That happens when I'm angry." She snapped.

"It happens when you're passionate." He contradicted her. Atria opened her mouth but Al kept talking, "And passion isn't just hate it's also-"

"I get it." She growled and got a look from Madam Fussypants. She lowered her voice. "Why do you feel the need to prove that I'm passionate?"

"I feel the need to prove that you like me because you've been avoiding me all week." He corrected.

Atria huffed. "And you had to do it in the library while Amanda was right there? I mean, what if she had seen you?"

Albus opened his mouth, no doubt to argue but then hesitated. "Is that it? You're ashamed of me?"

Atria's eyes widened and her eye's softened. Damnit, here he was making it hard for her to hate him. It was easy when he was being a prat and doing stupid things like playing footsie, but now?

"Of course not." She exclaimed.

"THAT'S IT!" Madam Fussypants screeched. "Out! The both of you!" She ran Al and Atria right out of library. "You're banned for a week!" Atria heard her shout as they were scrambling out of the library.

Once they had made it safely to a completely different corridor, Albus stopped and took a few deep breaths. They both looked at each other and managed to keep a straight face for about a second. Then they burst out laughing.

Are you ashamed of me? Atria sobered when she recalled his question. They were leaning side by side against the stone wall of the corridor, only a foot between them.

"I'm not ashamed of you." She repeated and then added, "Don't be stupid."

He looked sideways at her. "Then what is it? We kissed and we flirted and in Romania-"

"I on was a pain killing potion." She said automatically.

He brushed that off, "We still kissed. And you liked it."

"We live together. At home." She argued.

"But we won't next year. We will have never been together while living together." He argued. That made Atria pause. That's true. And it also made her incredibly sad.

"This our last year together. After this we might never see each other again." She whispered. "Rose and Scor will be off at the Ministry doing important things and you'll be designing famous buildings, Amanda will be a Quidditch manager or something" He looked surprised that she remembered that, "and I'll be… somewhere else." She finished. Azkaban? Witch Heaven? There was this feeling in her stomach that that was where everything was headed. That after this year, everything would be out and she would be arrested or dead.

"We'll still see each other." He leaned closer to her. Al slowly laced their hands together. "I want to see you."

"Me too." Atria admitted and then shook her head. "But imagine how weird it would be for our friends. We would be the odd couple making them feel awkward."

"Who cares? If we're happy they'll be happy. My parents love you…"

"That's another thing. What if we broke up? There are so many reasons-"

"You've me two reasons and one of them was stupid."

She closed her eyes. "It's not just that. There are things that you don't know, and I can't tell you." She felt his nose press to her cheek and it calmed her.

"I don't need to know everything about you." He whispered and his nose nuzzled her face. His hand came up to cradle her face."Maybe someday you'll be able to tell me. Let's not worry about that." He leaned over and kissed her.

Her mouth parted slightly and she kissed him back. He moved to that he was leaning into her, pressing her against the wall.

Al's other hand came up to tangle in her hair, while tipping her face back further. He deepened the kiss and swept his tongue over Atria's bottom lip. She groaned into his mouth and pushed against him, trying to get closer, her arms coming around his neck.

Atria absolutely loved his hair. It was so soft and sure, most of the time it was a mess, but it was artfully disastrous. She pulled on the shaggy strands and the hand that cupped her cheek moved down to her waist, dragging her closer.

After a few moments he pulled away and blinked hazily a few times. He leaned his forehead against hers, turning and kissing her cheek, then nuzzling her neck.

"Is that a yes?" He breathed heavily.

Atria swallowed and pulled back so she could look him in the eyes. "Alright."

He pulled back in surprise. "Really?"

She laughed at his tone. "Yes, of course."

He dropped another kiss to her lips. "Should we wait to tell everyone?"

Atria bit her lip. She wanted to scream hell yes! She was not looking forward to admitting after all these years that Albus wasn't as horrible as she previously imagined. "I think we can wait a little while. Not forever, but just until things settle down."

Albus nodded thoughtfully. He didn't look particularly upset.

"Can I ask you something?" Atria whispered. Albus pulled away and put some distance between them, in case someone decided to walk down this barren corridor at eight o'clock at night.

"Sure."

"Why were you so mean to me that first day? The first time we met you looked disgusted with me and I could never figure out why. I always assumed it was because you were a jerk, but there must have been some reason."

"Do you remember a few years back you yelled at me because you said that I was just jealous because you were so much better than me? And that my own family liked you more than me?" He didn't say it spitefully, but Atria still cringed.

"Yes, I'm really sorry about that. I was just lashing out."

Albus shrugged. "You were right. I was jealous of you. I was already the middle child, doomed to be left behind and then suddenly I wasn't the only middle child. You were a metamorphmagus and I just assumed that you would take my spot in the family."

Atria's heart broke a little. "I'm so sorry. I never meant for you to feel that way."

"Yea, and then you were the best at everything and it all snowballed. I picked apart everything you did and found something wrong with it." He admitted.

"I did the same. I can't even remember why I didn't like you, I just convinced myself that I had to hate you."

"I know. That's why you want to keep us a secret, and why you fought it for so long." He smirked down at her. "You're so proud."

"I'm working on it." She whispered as he leaned in.

"I know." He muttered against her lips.

Hours later Atria would look back and realize how stupid it was that they were snogging in the middle of a corridor where anyone could have walked by. But as she went to bed, she didn't really care if anyone found out. In that moment she had been perfectly happy.

wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Atria was waiting on the bridge for Albus. For their third date, Albus decided that he wanted to go to the bridge. Attie wasn't sure what he was planning with this but she trusted him. Sort of. She was actually very nervous because the other two dates they had planned together, but Al said that he wasn't a very good boyfriend if he didn't plan at least one.

And now he was late.

A few minutes later he came running from the castle and met her on the bridge. She wasn't sure if he should be running on this creaky old thing.

"Sorry, the house elves plied me with food. I couldn't escape." He set down the picnic basket he had been holding and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. Atria smiled up at him.

"No problem. I've only been waiting for a few minutes."

"Good."

She waited for him to tell her where they were going. Instead he sat down right there, and proceeded to take food out of the basket, along with… rocks?

"Rocks?" Atria gave him a questioning look.

"Haven't you ever wondered how far it is to the bottom of this canyon?" Albus asked excitedly as he handed her a rock.

Atria stared at him. "I'm never letting you plan a date again."

He looked at her in shock and she burst out laughing. "Why?"

She snorted, and not a disbelieving snort, more like I'm laughing so hard and I just snorted unattractively. "We're going to throw rocks to the bottom of this canyon just to see how long it takes for them to reach the bottom?" She breathed heavily trying to get her laughter under control.

"While eating strawberries!" Albus argued indignantly, like this was the most romantic thing ever.

Now, Atria simply started crying she was laughing so hard.

"You're being very mean." Albus said dryly. She took some deep breathes.

"I'm sorry, it's just really funny."

Albus leaned back on his hands and shook his head.

"Did you mention strawberries?" Atria smiled coyly at him and knelt down, leaning back on her leg and began to dig through the basket.

"Yes, I know bananas are your favorite fruit but there's only so much I can handle." He said sarcastically and Attie shot him a dirty look.

They stayed like that for hours. Eating and talking and just living. At one point, Atria found herself leaning against Albus, carving their initials into one of the rocks with the knife he had brought for the apples.

Atria rolled her eyes when he suggested that she let him do that.

"I'm fine. I happen to be very good with knives." She told him, but he still leaned away from her when she began etching again. He leaned back on his hands, with his legs outstretched in front of the two of them.

She was tucked into his side with her legs pulled under her.

"So are you going to keep this rock?"

"No, I'm going to throw it into the giant hole in the ground." She said. He looked sideways at her, as if to judge if she was serious. Which she totally was.

"You're so weird."

"And yet you like me. I think that says more about you than it does me." She told him without looking up from her task.

Albus laughed and she felt his body shake. "True enough. So there's a Hogsmeade weekend in a few weeks…"

Atria looked up at him. "Do you think it's a good idea to go together?"

"I think we were friends before we started dating. It's not like people aren't used to seeing us together."

"But we were always with our friends. It's never just been the two of us." Atria pointed out.

"Who cares? We can pretend to go as friends. No one will know."

How could she say no to that face? His eyes pleaded with her and she had to admit that she wanted to go to Hogsmeade with him. It would have been nice to go out on a normal date with him, without having to hide from their friends.

Atria knew that made her a hypocrite because she was the one who wanted to keep their relationship a secret.

She looked down at the stone and then smiled at Albus. "Finished."

"Throw it into the abyss."

Atria laughed. "You make it sound so dramatic."

But she listened anyways and tossed it over the bridge. She didn't hear any echo.

"We should go before someone starts missing us." Albus stood up and picked up the picnic basket. "I'm supposed to meet Scor tonight so he can review my potions essay."

"I'm going down to visit with Hagrid."

Al pressed a kiss to her lips, then pulled back and walked away slowly.

**I feel like I'm at the beginning of the end which makes me really sad! Please review and let me know what you think! - Alex**


	25. Hectic Hogsmeade Events

Amanda wasn't sure how she was going to spending the Hogsmeade weekend. Rose and Scorpius were patrolling and doing their own thing, while Atria and Al were going to try and get some stuff for a class or something.

She had sort of checked out when they started spouting bullshit. Something was up between the two of them, but clearly Atria was having doubts. It had to be Attie because Al did things without looking back. Atria was reckless in some ways, but not with her emotions. She was very guarded when it came to her heart.

It hadn't escaped Amanda's notice that they no longer ranted about each other, and they seemed to get along rather well. In fact, Attie and Al seemed to be getting along better with each other than with the rest of them.

"Amanda Smith!"

She turned around, not knowing who was calling her. She couldn't remember the last time someone had called her by her last name.

A boy she vaguely recognized was running to catch up with her. She was pretty sure he was a Ravenclaw or Gryffindor seventh year, but she couldn't tell because he wasn't weairng his robes. She had seen him around but never interacted with him before.

"Yes?" She tried to not frown. She was in a rush to meet Rose to work on the potions homework.

He took a deep breath once he reached her. "I'm Jack Stevens."

"Oh, hi I'm Amanda."

He smiled. "I know. I was wondering if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me as friends."

Amanda's eyebrows shot up. "As friends?" She giggled. What odd phrasing.

"Well, I wasn't sure if you wanted to jump straight to date. I thought we might get to know each other first and then maybe go on a date later seeing as we don't know each other." He said frankly. Amanda had no clue what to say.

"Why ask me out of we don't know each other?"

"To get to know each other. I'll see you at ten o'clock on Saturday in front of the Great Hall." Jack told her and she blinked. Then he walked away. She watched him with an open mouth.

"What just happened?" She said to no one.

Ten minutes later she found Rose in the library. People were trying to cram before the weekend, so they could spend the whole day in Hogsmeade. There was a low murmur throughout the students speaking with each other in low tones.

She flung herself into the chair and Rose looked up in confusion.

"What happened?"

Amanda couldn't stop grinning. "I have a date to Hogsmeade. Sort of."

"Sort of?"

Amanda shrugged. "He said he wanted to go as friends and then maybe we could **date** later. He wasn't to get to know me first."

Rose smiled. "That's sweet. Who is it?"

"Jack Stevens."

Rose's smile grew. "He's nice. He's in Gryffindor."

"I don't remember seeing him on the list." Amanda muttered, but not quietly enough because Rose huffed.

"I regret ever creating that stupid thing. Who cares what some bloody list says?"

Amanda smirked. "You seemed pretty happy to be first."

Rose blushed. "Yes, but it shouldn't be important when considering whether or not you like someone." She looked as if she wanted to say something else, instead her eyes focused on a shape behind Amanda. "Al!" Rose motioned for him to sit down.

Amanda smiled as Al slumped into the heavy wooden chair and threw his bag down on the table. He looked like he has just done a portkey to the wrong place and then had to take the Knight Bus all the way bag to Hogwarts.

"Merlin, I cannot wait for Christmas."

Rose frowned. "It's not even halfway through October yet."

Albus glared at his cousin. "Stop depressing me." He said dryly.

"You should be happy about the Hogsmeade weekend coming up." Amanda said knowingly. Albus looked at her questioningly, while Rose obliviously carried on the conversation.

"I have been craving a butterbeer." Rose nodded and then her eyes lit up. "Oh, Amanda's going to Hogsmeade with Jack Stevens. He's in your dorm right?" She asked Al.

Al nodded. "Yea, he's a nice enough bloke."

"I'm so excited." Amanda squealed and got a dirty look from a fifth year.

"I didn't know you knew him." Albus said.

Amanda shrugged. "I don't. He said we could go to Hogsmeade as friends and get to know each other." She wasn't sure why she was so excited. Maybe because for the first time a guy seemed to be interested in her. Maybe because she was still upset with a certain Potter for blowing her off.

Amanda smirked to herself. She could just imagine the look on James's face. And then she frowned. Or maybe he wouldn't care, a little voice in her head said.

"Where's Attie?" Rose asked and Amanda was thankful for the subject change. Suddenly she wasn't as elated about her 'date'.

Albus stretched his arms behind his head and Amanda noticed a group of third year girls staring at him. In fact… as she looked around she noticed a lot of students glancing over at the trio.

There was a group of young boys looking at Rose and some older girls looking at Albus too.

"She's off with Hagrid. Something about snuffer-somethings. I wasn't really paying attention." Albus admitted.

Rose gave him a disapproving look. "Clearly."

Albus sighed and opening his mouth.

"OUCH!" He jumped and Amanda saw a first year girl running away, hightailing it out of the library while her friends ran after her.

"What happened?" Rose looked surprised. Albus put a band to the back of his head and prodded tenderly.

"She pulled out a clump of my hair!" Albus rubbed the back of his head.

Amanda laughed. "I think you've got some admirers."

Albus frowned. "I never knew it would be so painful."

Rose rolled her eyes and resumed work on her essay. Albus turned to Amanda.

"I think I'm bleeding."

"Don't be dramatic." She said.

"Fine be like that."

Hogsmeade was a sight. Atria had always like the way it smelled. A mix of sludge, butterbeer, and old paper. Students were shuffling through the streets, trying to get to The Three Broomsticks and Honeydukes.

Atria and Albus made a beeline for Honeydukes.

"Mmm, I love these muggle candies." Atria chewed on a sour watermelon. "I think I'll get a liter of them."

Albus laughed. "What do you need a liter for?"

"For eating." Atria said pointedly.

Albus opened his chocolate frog. "Please be Snape. Please be Snape." He muttered again and again. He sighed. "Salazar Slytherin. I already have three of him."

"Just enjoy your chocolate." Atria admonished. Albus viciously bit off the head of the squirming frog.

Atria winced. "You're disgusting."

"It's not an actual frog. Besides-" Albus broke off and looked over Atria's shoulder. "Who is Lily with?" Albus asked in a deadly tone. Atria looked over her shoulder and sighed.

"I don't know, but please don't make a scene."

Albus continued to glare. "She's a bit young to be dating, isn't she?"

"She's fifteen."

"Too young."

"I had a boyfriend when I was fourteen."

"Exactly." Albus nodded, his eyes narrowing as he continued to look past Atria.

"Why don't we go to the Shrieking Shack?" Atria stepped into Al's line of vision. His eyes refocused on her face.

Albus looked like he was going to protest but instead he just shrugged. "Let me go get some more chocolate frogs."

They saw Rose and Scorpius monitoring the students and avoided them.

"I thought it would be great having our best friends be Heads," Al muttered. "Might make it easier to get away with stuff, but no… they insist on being buzz kills."

Atria laughed. "Scorpius isn't as bad as Rose."

"Still."

Albus looked around them and when he confirmed that no one was looking he took her hand. "I'm really happy you agreed to be with me."

Atria smiled and pressed her lips together to keep from giggling like a blithering idiot. "Me too. I feel so stupid for worrying." She admitted.

"It's alright."

"I'm really sorry-"

"Don't." He interrupted. "We were both asshole before."

"You have such a way with words."

Al threw his head back and laughed. Atria's heart panged as his tousled hair fell back from his face and framed his chiseled jaw. He had been so surprised last year, when he had surpassed James on the list. Atria couldn't see it at the time, but now she could. Albus had a sort of mature and rugged handsome that few boys could pull off.

And his muscles! Don't even get started on them.

"I really want to kiss you." He looked sideways at her.

She wanted that too, but… "Wait till we get to the Shrieking Shack." Albus groaned. They were just coming upon the path...

BOOM!

The explosion was so loud Atria because disoriented for a moment. Even from on the hill Atria could feel the ground shake. She turned around and all she could see was red. The village seemed to be on fire. It was on fire.

Albus breathed heavily, "Lily, Rose…" Then he took off back toward Hogsmeade.

"ALBUS!" Atria screamed and then ran after him. She took her wand out as she went. It was chaos. The explosions were still happening and smoke thickened the air. She couldn't find Al through the crowds of people trying to escape. She heard curses being shouted. Atria changer her hair to a ratty brown color before continuing. She couldn't risk anyone recognizing her.

She saw a Death Eater attacking a younger student, probably a third year. What a way to start your first Hogsmeade trip.

"Going after the young ones?" Atria called out to the old man who was in dire need of a haircut. "That's pathetic." She taunted, drawing his attention away from the child who took the opportunity to run.

"You prefer I come after you?" He snarled and Atria tilted her head back and laughed. It was a villainous laughter that made the coward pause.

"Please do! It's been too long since I've had someone fun to duel." She raised her wand slowly, watching him with a calculated look.

"Little girl," He shook his head and trailed off. "Crucio!" He hissed and she threw a shield up.

"That was a bit weak," Atria breathed heavily. "Are you sure you really meant it?" She hissed, baring her teeth. The Death Eater glared daggers at her and prepared to strike again. Before he mutter a curse a snapped, "Here let me show you. Sectumsempra!" The curse hit his legs, sending him tumbling over.

Atria didn't stick around long enough for anyone to see the evidence of her dark magic.

She hated what she had just done.

She hated it because she loved it. There was a sense of exhilaration and excitement that came afterwards. Knowing that you've beaten someone at their own game. It was almost as fun as dragon riding. As she ran by, she kicked his wand away from him.

She saw a Death Eater drag a student down an abandoned street that was engulfed in smoke. Elphas? She recognized the man from when Harry had captured her mother and her followers three years ago.

Atria charged after them, going in the opposite direction of everyone else who was fleeing the scene. On the run, she changed her appearance further. It was dangerous to be wasting energy on metamorphosing but necessary.

"STOP!" She shouted and the pair turned around. Elphas had the boy at wand point to the head.

"I'll blow his head off if you come closer." Elphas hissed and Atria knew he would. The boy was shaking and blinking away tears. Atria kept her wand steady but didn't take another step.

"Let him go." She said firmly.

The man narrowed his eyes. Unlike the other Death Eater he didn't seem to underestimate her. "You want him? Fine." And then he threw the boy forward and ran in the opposite direction. Atria ran to the boy who was bleeding, but not fatally.

"Are you okay?" She yelled on the run.

"I think so." The boy nodded and stood up on shaky legs and went to grab her and pull her away. Atria went in the opposite direction. "Where are you going?" He shouted.

"I can't let him escape." She said and took off.

"Wait! Who are you?" She didn't turn around. Thank Merlin for the smoke cover and the metamorphosing. She turned the corner and came face to face with Elphas.

"Who are you?" He asked curiously. "You seem very familiar to me."

Atria pressed her lips together and raised her wand. "Surrender."

"Why would I do that?" He laughed. Merlin, he was handsome. She had always thought so. He was her older crush. The person she thought was very handsome but knew it would never happen. He was almost fifteen years older than she was.

"So that I don't curse you."

"Atria Lestrange."

Her eyes widened as she looked upon him. "Who?" She raised her eyebrows.

"I remember the way you used to hold your wand. And that wild look in your eyes." He shrugged, ignoring her question.

Atria swallowed. "Where's my mum?" Atria hissed.

Elphas laughed. "Gone."

"Why are you following her? She doesn't even fight her own battles. She just sends you to do the dirty work."

"Oh, there's another reason for that."

"You don't really believe in all this crap. I know you."

"I suppose you're right." He smiled devilishly. "I'm like you. I don't do it for profit or beliefs. I do it for entertainment."

Atria growled at him. He opened his mouth but before he could say anything else she shouted, "Obliviate." She could see that he hadn't actually expected her do to do it. He was knocked backwards unconscious.

"You should have run." She whispered and then slowly walked backwards for a few steps before turning around and running. When she got back to the center of the village Aurors were there. Some of them were holding Death Eaters and others were taking care of students. She changed back to her normal self with blue hair.

An auror was inspecting the other Death Eater she had hit with Sectumsempra and she quickly walked past.

"Attie!"

Atria whipped around at the sound of Amanda's voice. Amanda had a small cut on the head, but other than that seemed to be unharmed.

"I'm so glad you're alright." They hugged for a few seconds. "Have you seen Albus?"

Amanda nodded. "Rose took a group of students up to the Castle, then Albus showed up and Scorpius sent more students with him. Scorpius is here somewhere I think, unless he helped more people escape."

Atria exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "And Lily and Hugo?"

"They went with Rose." Amanda said. "Jack went back up to the Castle too."

Atria made a face. "He just left you here?"

"There were younger students that needed him more than I did."

"I can't believe this happened."

"They were talking about canceling Hogsmeade weekends because of what happened last year, but decided to add more security." Amanda said.

Atria huffed. "Well, they'll definitely be canceled now."

"Amanda! Attie!" Scorpius joined them a moment later.

"Scorpius, you were brilliant!" Amanda put a hand on his shoulder. Scorpius looked down.

"Not really."

"If it hadn't been for you, a lot more people would have been hurt." Amanda said firmly. "Thank Merlin for you. I love Rosie and she had many fine qualities but crisis management is not one of them."

Scorpius laughed unsteadily and clutched his side.

"You're bleeding!" Atria exclaimed and pulled his hand away from his abdomen. There was a deep slash. "Scorpius!"

"It's nothing." He muttered, but his eyes started drooping.

"Sit down." Atria ordered. So they all sat down in the middle of the path while Atria kept pressure on his would. "What happened?"

"Not sure. It's all sort of a blur." Scorpius admitted. His skin was extremely greyish white and his breathing became laboured.

"We need to get you to the Hospital Wing."

Scorpius tried to stand up but wobbled and grabbed onto the two girls.

"Easy there!" Amanda eased him down.

Scorpius's eyes rolled back in his head.

"Oh, crap!"

Scorpius breathed deeply. He smelled mango. He had always loved the smell of mango. Rose had this perfume that was a mix of tropical fruit, but he only smelled mango. His hand felt warm and he wanted to open his eyes.

He knew who was there, holding his hand, but he wanted to see her.

Unfortunately, his eyes refused to cooperate.

"I must say!" He heard Madam Pomfrey huff. "He needs rest and space!"

"He's resting right now." He heard Albus snap.

"Al," Scorpius recognized that to be Harry Potter. Scorpius really hoped that Ronald Weasley wasn't here as well because he was sure that it was Rose who was holding his hand and Scorpius doubted her father would approve.

"I think he would appreciate his friends being here."

Dad! Now he really needed to wake up. How many people were watching him sleep and possibly drool?

"You can try to make us leave…" Atria trailed off threateningly. He heard a huff that surely came from Madam Pomfrey.

Scorpius actually wanted them all to leave. He only wanted to see Rose.

A few minutes later he got his wish.

"I must insist that you return to your dormitories. We're locking everyone down and we can't have students wandering." Professor McGonagall said firmly. There were some grumbles but eventually he heard footsteps.

"I'd like to speak with you both in my office." The Headmistress said. Scorpius assumed she was talking to his father and Mr. Potter. "Rose, I must insist you go to bed."

"I will. I just need a minute with him."

"I'll notify Madam Pomfrey that you have ten minutes before you must go back to your dorm." Scorpius understood her meaning. If you're not gone in ten minutes Madam Pomfrey will throw you out.

Scorpius felt relieved when the adults left.

Rose hiccupped. "Oh, Scorpius."

He pried his eyes open. "Rose." He croaked. She had her head bent forward and her shouldered were shaking. Her head snapped up.

"Scorpius!" She smiled so brightly that Scorpius had to blink. She leaned in close and he took a deep breath.

"Rose." He repeated. He loved her name.

Her smile became wobbly and tears came to her eyes. "I should have stayed with you." She sobbed. Scorpius squeezed her hand.

"Rose, look at me."

She blinked a few times before looked at him. She bit her lip.

"It wasn't your fault. You had to get others to safety."

"I know. I just wish you had come with me."

Scorpius didn't respond.

"Everyone's okay." Rose said. Scorpius nodded. "There weren't a student fatalities."

"But there were fatalities?"

Rose nodded and swiped away a tear. "I should go to bed."

Scorpius nodded and watched her rise. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

She smiled, "Of course. I'll be here bright and early with breakfast. The hospital food is horrible." Scorpius laughed.

"Do you think it's bad that we have this much experience with the Hospital Wing?"

Rose shrugged and said goodbye.

Scorpius watched her go and as soon as she was out the door he fell back into his pillow.

"Shit, I am so in love with her."

****Hey people! Thanks for reading! This chapter was kind of crazy but there's so much I wanted to happen. I've been jumping to different perpectives a lot, let me know what you think! - Alex


	26. Interviews and Scary Encounters

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I've been really busy but awesome reviews give the strength to carry on! I'm pretty proud of this chapter, but let me know what you think! **

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything you recognize. **

Sometimes life sucks.

Everyone has those days where you just want to crawl into bed and never come out.

That was what the whole week had been like for Atria. It was like walking on eggshells and having to look around every corner. And that's exactly what she did.

Aurors had been coming and going from Hogwarts ever since Saturday. They were in the halls between classes, peeking in on the common rooms, and lurking in the library. It was making Atria so twitchy she had almost cursed Al when he snuck up behind her during a free period.

And now… giving a witness statement.

Rose and Scorpius had been the first ones called in since they had played a major hand in damage control. They had also been asked to monitor any suspicious activity, which they did anyways.

Atria wished it was Harry or Ron interviewing her. But apparently they were "too close" to the situation. Instead she had some fat, bald paper-pusher asking her random questions in a dull voice. She even had to make her hair a boring dirty blonde color. Rose said "it would make her appear as less of a delinquent" if she didn't have blue and red hair.

"When did you first hear the explosion?" His eyelids drooped.

Atria sighed, "When I was walking to the Shrieking Shack. I was just at the beginning of the path when I felt it-"

"Felt?" The man raised a bushy eyebrow.

Atria gritted her teeth. "Yes, the ground shook a bit and it was so loud I think I went deaf for a moment."

"And then what happened?"

"I ran back to the village." She folded her hands neatly in her lap.

"Why didn't you go to the castle?"

"Because I figured people needed help." She shrugged.

The man smirked a bit and then his face became blank again. "From a seventeen year old girl who has yet to complete her education?"

Atria's eye twitched. "I just reacted."

"Did you see anyone suspicious?"

"Other than the people trying to kill everyone, you mean?" Atria asked condescendingly. The man gave her a dirty look and she stared at the wall. She wished they weren't in the dungeon so she could look out of a window. Walls were so boring.

"I mean, not a Death Eater." He sniffed.

Atria frowned. "I don't understand." The man seemed to enjoy this very much.

"As you may have heard," He paused dramatically, "there were two Death Eaters assaulted in a very crude manner. In fact, one of them had been cursed with dark magic." Atria swallowed and looked at the man.

"Well, they were Death Eaters. People were trying to defend themselves." Atria said unemotionally, trying to look as calm as she could.

"Yes, we understand that. However it is alarming that someone would have knowledge about such a dark curse."

Atria rolled her eyes. "Maybe it would help if you told me what spell was used."

"It was a curse, not a spell." The man snapped. "Have you heard of Sectumsempra?" He asked slowly. Atria controlled all the features of her face, making sure none of them showed recognition.

"Vaguely. I don't remember the specifics though." She shrugged, like it was unimportant.

"It can be very damaging if done properly." He evaded her prodding.

"I take it that it was performed properly?" Atria said dryly.

"Almost to perfection."

Almost? Atria had to hold her tongue.

"Again, why is this a bad thing? If it was used against a Death Eater-"

"This is extremely alarming information because it means that we have an unidentified wizard who had been trained in the Dark Arts running around." He hissed. Atria's forearm tingled a little bit.

She blinked innocently. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I didn't see anything."

The grumpy man gave a disappointed frown. "Very well, you're free to go. Please send Miss Smith in after you." Atria stood up quickly and got out of there as fast as she could without actually running.

There were three other students outside the dungeon, including Amanda.

"Good luck." Atria said to Amanda. "He is so stuck up." She said and Amanda sighed. She stood up and rubbed her hands on her skirt.

"I'll see you in a little while."

"I'm going to try and find Rose."

"Okay." Amanda took a deep breath and then entered the scary room.

The first place Atria looked was the library.

The second place was the Room of Requirement.

"Hey."

Rose looked up as Atria came in. Predictably, she had turned the Room of Requirement into a personal library. She was sitting on a gold and red couch with her feet tucked under her, reading a small book.

"How did it go?" Rose smiled sadly.

"He was so condescending." Atria growled and plopped down next to Rose.

She nodded. "I know. He kept asking me what gave me the authority to order students around." Rose scrunched up her nose.

"Um… you're the Head Girl."

"He wasn't impressed with that answer."

"I would have loved to see him interview Scorpius." Atria smirked and Rose giggled.

"Scorpius is the reason they started interviewing people individually. That stubby man started talking to him in the Hospital Wing in front of me, Uncle Harry, Mr. Malfoy, McGonagall and Merlin. Well, Scor made him look like right git in front of everyone. After that he said it would be better to interview students privately so they wouldn't feel the need to show off."

"What did Draco say?"

"He looked extremely proud."

Both girls burst out laughing.

Rose sobered a few moments later. "Did he asked you about a student using dark magic?"

Atria pressed her lips together. "He didn't ask about a student, he just said that there was someone who had been trained in the Dark Arts."

Rose shuddered. "It's sort of frightening isn't it? To think that there's someone lurking out there and we don't know which side they're on. Who knows, they might not be on anyone's side, they could just be looking for chaos." Atria made a face at Rose's rant.

"I don't want to think about." True statement. It was making her feel very trapped.

Rose sighed, "Hogsmeade has been cancelled indefinitely. Unless they catch the Death Eaters, it's going to be cancelled all year. There was even talk about cancelling Quidditch."

"WHAT?!"

"Don't worry, Scorpius put up a good fight against it. But there's going to be loads more security around the school. I just hope my dad isn't stationed here." Rose flushed.

"I think that's a conflict of interest." Atria assured her.

"Or they might consider it proper motivation."

Atria smiled and closed her eyes. When she heard soft sounds coming from Rose she opened her eyes and looked at her friend.

Rose had silent tears running down her cheeks.

"Rose!" Atria put her arms around her and pushed her thick red hair out of the way.

Her shoulders shook. "This isn't how seventh year was supposed to be." Rose's voice sounded choked. "It was supposed to be fun and free. We were going to be thinking about jobs and our futures, not wondering if we would even have futures."

Atria pulled back in surprise and then leaned her head on Rose's shoulder. It was unusual to hear Rose speak so darkly. Atria didn't know what to say so she simply held Rose until her body stopped racking with sobs.

"Everything's going to be fine." Atria whispered and rubbed Rose's shoulder comfortingly. Of course, that was a lie, but Rose didn't need to know that. Atria had thought about the day where everyone found out the truth. It was always in the back of her mind… and yet, she never thought it would actually happen.

But with the Aurors at Hogwarts, and everyone asking questions, Atria had a feeling that day was going to happen sooner or later. She dreaded it. She didn't know how she would face everyone afterwards.

Right now she was holding Rose, a halfblood, but after she found out would Rose want Atria to even be in the same room with her? And Albus? Would he want to kiss the granddaughter of his grandparent's murderer?

Atria quickly blinked away the tears that threatened to spill before Rose could see.

"Scorpius and I are supposed to meet McGonagall before dinner." Rose leaned up straight.

"Why?"

"To go over some new rules I suppose." Rose stood up and straightened her robes.

Atria smiled and sprawled out over the couch. "Have fun."

"I'll see you at dinner." Rose said and then wiped her eyes a few times.

Atria nodded and closed her eyes.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amanda ran from the dungeon as quickly as she could. It's not that she was afraid of the stupid man. It's just that she was afraid she would hex him if he asked her one more condescending question. This past week had been crazy and she wasn't sure how much more she could handle.

"Hey, Amanda!"

Oh, sweet Merlin…

"Hey Jack." She turned around and forced a smile on her face. It's not that she didn't like him, it's just she really didn't feel like talking to anyone.

"Oh, I've caught you at a bad time." He said immediately.

Amanda's mouth parted slightly. "Sorry, I was just giving a statement to some ministry official and he was…"

"A jerk?"

"Kind of," She admitted and some real happiness crept into her smile. It made her happy that she didn't have to explain every single thing she was feeling.

"Well, maybe we could talk later. Obviously, our last date didn't go as planned…" He trailed off and she gave a short laugh. "But I was wondering if you wanted to try again."

Amanda bit her lip. "Sure, why not?"

"Excellent! The ministry has a Christmas Ball every year and my dad just got a promotion so we're going this year. Do you want to be my date?" He shoved his hands in his pockets and rock back and forth on his heals.

"That's months away." Amanda pointed out.

"I know but it's the only time we can do a proper date since they're probably going to cancel Hogsmeade visits. I mean, I still want to see you but I thought that might be a good time for an official date."

Amanda smiled. "Of course. Um… let's talk more in a couple of months."

Jack grinned. "Of course. I'll let you get back to your solitude."

She laughed and shook her head as he walked away. It was almost time for dinner, but she really wasn't hungry. Instead, she went to the library to finish some work that was due on Monday.

She was so lucky that a simple guy liked her. He understood what she wanted and could pick up on her mood. But at the same time… why didn't he try to make her feel better. It was nice that he understood she wanted to be alone, but why hadn't he-

Oh forget it! Maybe she was just used to people being nosy into her business. None of her friends would have left her alone if they knew she upset. And James, might have been oblivious to some things, but he was always there. Even when she didn't want him to be.

Amanda sort of liked that about him.

"You're overthinking things." She mumbled to herself and then tried to focus on her Arithmancy essay. Tried and failed. For some reason, she just couldn't sit still. She kept looking around the library. There was hardly anyone there, just a few fifth years. Madam Pince was shelving some books with her wand.

There was a copy of the Prophet lying on the table.

Hold the phone.

Amanda frowned at the Daily Prophet and then summoned it over.

"Rookie James Potter Makes a Splash," She read the title. The was a picture of him flying around and then suddenly darting after the snitch. He looked amazing in his Harpies uniform. She read the article that continued on page six.

Apparently the Harpies starting seeker was injured in practice so James started in their last game against Puddlemere. She wished he was still at Hogwarts, or even in the same country, so she could congratulate him. They won the game by an obscene amount of points and…

Amanda's eyes narrowed as she read the last paragraph.

Potter look quite close an unknown fan. Our sources say that Potter and the mystery woman are quite the pair and even went out for lunch after the game this past Saturday.

She tossed the paper on the table and huffed. Why was she getting so bent out of shape over this. She had just had a date herself… but that had ended in Hogsmeade on fire. While she had been fighting for her life he had been making nice with some gold digger.

At least her incident made was the headline story of the Prophet and he was just in the bottom right corner.

"Damnit." She shut her Arithmancy book. Clearly she wasn't going to get any work done. She stood up and her chair pushed back and hit something. A cry made her turn around quickly.

A younger student was lying on the floor with his book sprawled out and his glasses askew. Amanda bent down quickly, apologizing profusely. "I am so sorry." She said while collecting his books. "I didn't see you."

The boy hurriedly got up and took his books from her, stuffing them back in his bag and clutching the bag to his chest. "It was my fault." He said quickly.

"No, it really wasn't." She noticed the Hufflepuff crest on his robes. He was probably terrified of a seventh year Slytherin. "Are you okay? Is there anything I can help you with?"

The boy flushed. "No! I'm sorry to be a bother."

"It's no bother. What year are you?" She asked.

His eyes widened. "First year. My name's Hector."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Amanda." She held out her hand. He shook it vigorously after readjusting his bag.

"I know! My friends won't believe me when I tell them I met you." He said excitedly and Amanda laughed.

"Why?"

"Because you're famous?"

Amanda smiled. "Oh, right because I'm friends with the Potter's and Weasley's."

"No! I heard you survived bloodroot poisoning! In almost all scenarios that should be deadly. Also, you are an amazing keeper." He flushed even more. Amanda was blushing a little bit too.

"Thank you. Are you sure there isn't anything you need help with?"

Hector shook his head. "No." He paused. "Well, actually do you know where I could find a book on underwater plants?"

"Over in that section," She pointed to the corner where she had spent many a nights doing a last minute Herbology paper. "There should be some on the second shelf unless they're all checked out."

He bounced up on his toes. "Thanks! I'll see you later." He hurried away and Amanda had to smile. It was nice to see some genuine innocence after all the doom and gloom that had been going around.

Still, she was in no mood to do an essay and it wasn't due for another week. After collecting her things Amanda made for the exit. Unfortunately, someone got in her way. This seemed to be happening a lot today…

Sal smiled charmingly. "Hello, Amanda."

"Hi Sal." She played with the strap of her bag.

"Have you seen Rose?"

"Not since earlier." She responded vaguely. Amanda wasn't sure why she didn't like Sal, and it wasn't exactly dislike, more like there was something off about him. She couldn't put her finger on it. Perhaps he was too suave. Or maybe she was spending too much time with Attie and had become cynical. Or the fact that he was trying to get on with Rose…

"Do you know where she was going?" He pressed, but kept the smile in place.

Amanda smiled dryly. "Nope. But I'm sure you'll see her at dinner. Speaking of, I had better get going…" She scooted around him.

"There's still a half hour until dinner."

She clenched her teeth. "I'm just going to drop my bags off." She turned and started walking.

He appeared next to her. "I'll walk you. It's dangerous to walk alone."

"There's Aurors crawling the castle." She said pointedly. Her good mood that the first year had instilled was officially gone.

"You can never be too careful."

"Right." She walked quickly forcing him to jog a few steps to catch up.

"It's been a crazy week."

He was determined to kill her with small talk.

"I know."

"That's right, you were in Hogsmeade saving lives."

"Hardly saving lives."

"Hmm. You know, I heard Rose was amazing as well."

Amanda internally rolled her eyes. "Of course, she's Head Girl."

"I feel like I've barely gotten to see her this year. Scorpius hogs all of her time…"

Just then, a brilliant idea hit Amanda. She turned to him and smiled. "Of course, they are best friends." She said casually and then looked ahead. "I mean, they've always spent a lot of time together; studying, hanging out, patrolling…" Let him stew on that!

"Of course." Sal said tightly.

Amanda bit her lips to keep from grinning triumphantly.

"I should leave you here. I'm sure you don't want me to know where the Slytherin common room is." He stopped abruptly. "I hope you don't get poisoned again."

Amanda's jaw dropped as he sauntered away. She noticed that they were standing in the exact spot where it had happened last time.

She almost ran to the Slytherin common room.

As soon as she was in her dorm her, she slammed the door and leaned against it. Was it just her imagination? That had to be her imagination. He wouldn't have said something like that. Maybe he was just trying to mess with her.

Amanda was really beginning to get why Attie disliked Sal so much. And why the hell did Rose like him? Should she tell Rose about this? She didn't want to make her feel bad, but Amanda was extremely uncomfortable with Sal trying to get close to Rose.

Maybe she should tell Albus and Hugo so they could scare him off. Or Scorpius! Scorpius could put the fear of Merlin in the smooth-talking Italian.

No. If there was someone you wanted to handle your dirty work… it was Attie.

Amanda arrived early to dinner to make sure she spoke with Atria. Waiting patiently at the Slytherin table she munched on some chips.

"Hey." Atria swung her leg over the bench and finally sat down for dinner.

"I have something to tell you." Amanda said immediately. Atria frowned and gave her a look while scooping some potatoes onto her plate.

"What?"

"Sal cornered me in the library and then insisted on walking me back to the common room. I was being pretty antisocial. I didn't really feel like speaking with anyone and he just wouldn't get a clue. Well, finally he got a clue and left. Before he left he said 'I hope you don't get poisoned again.' That's when I noticed we were standing exactly where I was attacked." Amanda whispered anxiously.

Atria lips formed a scowl.

"I thought maybe he was joking. Am I freaking myself out-"

"No, that's creep." Atria growled.

"Should we tell Rose?"

Atria bit her bottom lip. "I don't know. You know, I don't really like him but I don't want Rose to be discouraged. But this… this is something else."

"It's just, he's Rose's first crush. Well, her first serious one-"

"I know, that's why I've been trying to be supportive." Atria nodded.

"But he didn't sound like he was joking."

Atria looked thoughtful. "Maybe we could mention something? Just so she's aware."

Amanda nodded and then got a look of realization. "You don't think he had something to do with it? Is he connected with the Death Eaters?" Amanda hissed.

"I don't know. I've been wondering the same thing, but it's just intuition. I haven't had any proof so I didn't want to start anything."

"But now we have proof!"

"Hardly. He could have just been being condescending or trying to make a joke. And that's what he'll say either way." Atria leaned her chin on her palm.

"This is drama we didn't need." Amanda hissed and was embarrassed to admit that her eyes were a bit watery. They weren't tears of fear, more like tears of frustrations.

Atria cracked her knuckles. "That's it-" She started to stand up but Amanda pulled her back down.

"Wait," She whispered, "we need to be smart about this. You can't just go punch him out."

"I was going to hex him."

"There's three Aurors standing right there." Amanda jerked her head towards the entrance to the Great Hall. "We need to create a plan to extract the truth from him."

"Tortue?"

Amanda sighed, "No! Well, not physical torture. We should mess with his mind a bit. I think he likes Rose and he got really worked up when I mentioned Scorpius. I'm thinking if we screw with him enough, he'll lose it."

Atria stared at er with a potato have hanging from her mouth. "Who are you?" She said finally.

Amanda sat up straighter. "What? You thought I was put in Slytherin for shits and giggles?" She crossed her arms.

"I am so loving our friendship right now."

And this is why Amanda loved Atria. If she had suggested this to Rose, or even Scorpius, she would have been scolded. But not Atria, Atria just looked at her with admiration. She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing yet.

"Hello," Scorpius sat down across from them. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing." They both said quickly. Scorpius gave them a suspicious look before focusing on the feast.

"I heard you got frisky with that ministry official," Atria smirked.

Scorpius sighed. "I was simply pointing out his flawed logic."

"Bucking against authority." Atria shook her head. "I love it."

"He did ask stupid questions." Amanda agreed.

"Seriously, how would a Hogwarts student would be trained in the Dark Arts." Scorpius rolled his eyes.

Amanda nodded. "And he was so condescending."

Scorpius bit hard into a chip. "I think there was a point where my dad was going to hex him."

"Your dad probably would have been arrested." Amanda laughed. Atria took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Anyways, how did your date go with Jack?" Atria asked, looking eagerly at Amanda.

"Um… up until the point where Death Eaters attacked Hogsmeade it was going pretty well." She said, a little confused by the abrupt subject change. "But he invited me to go to the Ministry Christmas ball with him." She said excitedly.

"That's going to be so much fun!" Atria clapped her hands together.

"We'll all be there." Scorpius explained.

Amanda smiled. "Right, I forgot you lot go to that thing."

Attie nodded. "Yep, all the Potter's and Weasley. I get to go because James insists that I'm his date."

Amanda raised her eyebrows. "How's that going to work this year? I think I read in the paper that James had a new girlfriend." She tried not to sound bitter and by Atria's smile, she had succeeded.

"I've been going for the past three years, I doubt anyone's going to question my presence now."

Scorpius scoffed. "You shouldn't believe everything you read in the papers."

"I know." Amanda shrugged casually. "Just putting the possibility out there. So what's the dress code?"

"It's a ball." Scorpius deadpanned. "The dress code is formal. Extremely formal, like floor length ballgowns formal." Atria made a face and shuddered.

"I don't think I have any ballgowns."

Atria shrugged and scooped pasta onto her plate. "You've got two months to think about it. We'll all go shopping together. Rose and Lily will have to buy new dresses as well."

Scorpius looked over Atria's shoulder and made a disguested noice. "Ugh, Sal's talking to Rose."

Amanda and Atria shared a look and then smiled devilishly.


	27. Explosions of Many Kinds

**Question: Who do you think will be** **the**** first person Atria's tells her secret too? **

**I'm just curious! Enjoy the chapter and remember to thank the J.K. Rowling shrine you have for the glorious creation that it Harry Potter. If you don't have a shrine to J.K. Rowling... build one. **

"I've missed you," Albus whispered against Atria's lips.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled playfully. "I know. We've barely seen each other these past few weeks." She pulled him closer and pressed her lips to his neck. Snogging in an abandoned passageway was so much fun!

Albus let out a groan. "That's the bad thing about having Aurors watching your every move." He muttered and then pissed several kisses to the skin behind her ear.

"There's lot of bad things." She giggled and then gasped. "That's why we have the map." Albus ran his hands up and down her sides and it was becoming increasingly difficult to concentrate on the conversation at hand. "Although, it would be nice not to have to sneak around."

Atria's eyes opened. "You want to tell everyone we're dating."

"No! I just want to tell our friends. Everyone else will simply have to figure it out." He said teasingly, but then he pulled back. "Would it really be so horrible?"

Atria sighed, "No, I've been thinking about it a lot."

"So when should we tell them?"

"Maybe after Christmas?" Atria suggested.

"Or we could tell them before the Christmas ball so I can take you on a proper date."

Atria couldn't help but smile at the possibility. But… "Albus, we're staying in the same house for Christmas break. Your parents would freak out if we told them before. If we wait until afterward, we won't have to deal with that awkward conversation." She reasoned.

"Because we'll both be in our own apartments?"

"Exactly." Atria said excitedly. She was happy he finally understood. If they put it off for long enough…

"Have you thought about living arrangements after we graduate?" Albus asked suddenly.

Atria pulled back. "Not really. I suppose it would depend on where our jobs were. Amanda and Rose were talking about the three of us getting an apartment in London, but I'm not sure." She bit her lip.

"Scorpius and I were thinking the same thing."

"I would prefer to just enjoy the moment. We don't even know what we're going after graduation, so there's really no point in making plans-"

"I applied for an internship."

"What?" Atria asked stupidly.

"Well, it's more of an apprenticeship really. With one of the Cevill brothers. The one who's built half of the magical building in Britain!" He said excitedly. "I'm supposed to hear back in January."

Atria threw her arms around Albus. "I'm so happy for you! I know you'll get it."

She couldn't help but feel guilty. Here Albus was, planning his future, a future that included her, and she couldn't stop worrying that she might not even be around. Was it fair to him to let him get his hopes up?

"And you?" He asked breathlessly. "I'm sure Uncle Charlie would give you a job."

Atria laughed uncomfortably. "I haven't really thought about it."

"There's plenty of time." Albus pressed a soft kiss to her mouth.

All this talk of the future made her sad. It made her want to enjoy the moments she had with Albus all the more. She gripped one of his arms and hoisted herself up so she could reach his lips and kiss him hungrily.

He responded quickly, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her body flush against his. The hand that was on his arm moved to his abdomen. She loved his muscles. Atria had teased him about being too bulky to be a seeker, but now she loved his muscles. She shivered as his hand rested on her lower back.

He nipped at her lower lip and she pulled on his hair.

Finally, his forehead rested against hers and they were breathing heavily.

"I have another suggestion." He looked at her through hooded eyelids.

"About what?"

"Living arrangements." He clarified and pulled back a little. "What if," He cleared his throat, "we kept the same living arrangements we have now?"

Atria frowned, "You want to live with your parents?"

Albus laughed nervously. "No, but maybe you and I could still live under the same roof?" He ran his hands over her hair a couple of times.

She stared at him.

"I think…" She swallowed, "it's definitely something that could be discussed."

His eyes opened wide. "Seriously."

"Honestly, it's hard to imagine not seeing you everyday. But are you sure you would want that. Amanda has assured me that I am a horrible roommate." Atria bit her lip nervously, but also excitedly. She and Albus! Living together!

And then reality came back to her. She kept smiling but had to dim his hopes a little.

"Trust me, I've seen you at your worst. We share a bathroom remember?" He kept running his hands over her arms and the light touches were making it difficult to think.

"What if we got a big apartment?" Atria offered.

"Um… sure, why not-"

"I mean, for all of us." She clarified. Albus's eyebrows dropped.

"For you, me, Scorpius, Rose, and Amanda?" He droned on.

Atria swallowed. "Yes."

"Wouldn't that be a little awkward?"

"Well, what if we didn't share a room?"

Albus's eyes widened. "Atria, I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you. Whenever you're ready… I'll wait. There's absolutely no rush-"

"Albus!" She snapped and put her hand on his cheek. "I know you're not pressuring me." She kissed his mouth lightly. "It's just… we're still so young. Do you really want to spend that much time with me? Just me?"

He looked into her eyes and she had a hard time following the words that came out of his mouth because she was lost in a sea of green.

"Attie, I can't imagine a time when I don't want you around."

Atria bit back a grin.

Albus continued, "But I see what you mean. Maybe if we all lived in the same building? You could room with Amanda and Rose and I could live with Scor." He suggested.

Atria pulled him in close again. "We should probably run this by them." She smiled.

"Nah, they'll be fine."

Atria laughed and then put her head on Albus's chest. "For the record, I can't imagine living without you."

"I know."

Atria smacked him.

"Me too." He sighed and she hugged him tighter.

She prayed to Merlin and whatever other cosmic beings there were that she would never have to leave him. She wanted to stay with him more than anything. But there was still a dark corner of her heart and mind that wouldn't let her completely believe it would happen.

No. She mentally berated herself. She was tired of being scared of the future.

"You know what? I think I'll apply for some jobs after all." She said.

Albus raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yeah, why not? I should start considering my options."

"Good. And I'll support whatever you want to do." Albus said firmly.

Atria laughed. "Even if I want to ride dragon?"

"Just promise me you'll be safe. I know you like to be active, but try not to be reckless."

"Deal."

He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Brilliant."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amanda shut her eyes and leaned against a wall.

Three… two…. one… BOOOMM!

She had left a little surprise for Sal inside his cauldron. It wasn't easy to get out of Transfiguration and sneak some of the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products into the castle, but it was so worth. Atria had put together a special package and Amanda delivered.

She watched from around the corner as students burst out of the potions classroom, coughing and pushing smoke out of their faces. She wasn't exactly sure what was supposed to happen because Attie was the potions expert, but Amanda had been assured that there would be no casualties.

Students were running down the corridors and then…

Sal came out. Cover in spots and boils. His skin was patchy and red and his face was seething. Amanda covered her mouth to keep from laughing. No other students looked like this, so as promised, there were no casualties. Sal was shouting unintelligible things as he picked at his skin. The professor came out a moment later and Amanda disappeared with the rest of the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students.

She found out later that Sal was taken to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey had yet to find a cure. Amanda would have to praise Atria later for her brilliant potions skills. Admittedly, when Amanda had suggested they make Sal squirm she hadn't exactly had a plan. She only knew that publicly starting a war would create sides.

That was bad. It was better to slowly drive Salvatore crazy wondering what might happen next. Atria had come up with the details of the plan, how to get him and what would anger him the most etcetera…

Sal would show his true colors soon enough. He had already looked ready to tear someone's head off, if they kept up the torture he would surely snap and Amanda and Atria would make sure that everyone was around to see it.

When Amanda joined Rose and Albus at the Slytherin table for dinner, she was greeted with smiles. Until Rose noticed how happy she was looking.

"Why are you all smiles?" She asked suspiciously.

Amanda shrugged. "I had a good Transfiguration lesson."

"It was rather excellent, wasn't it…" And that distracted Rose for another ten minutes. Until Lily arrived with some of her friends to deliver some "horrible news."

"Sal is in the hospital wing!" She announced and flung her bag onto the table.

"What?" Rose jumped up, splashing pumpkin juice on Albus.

"Hey!"

"Apparently, a potion went wrong." Lily friend nodded vigorously. "Madam Pomfrey still hasn't been able to cure him. I heard his face is ruined!" She sighed dramatically. Rose glared at the younger girl.

"All you care about is his looks?" Rose picked up her things. "I should go see him."

Amanda snapped to attention. "Is that the best idea? What if it's contagious or something?"

"Well, I should at least try." Rose flounced off before Amanda could argue.

She stood there for a moment and then raced after Rose.

As predicted, Madam Pomfrey wasn't letting anyone see the "poor boy" because he needed to rest, not be tussled about by girls. Rose stood outside the infirmary for five minutes, huffing and no doubt thinking of ways to tell of Madam Pomfrey.

"Rose, come on, let's go back to dinner." Amanda groaned.

"No one asked you to come."

Amanda rubbed her temple. "Have you studied enough for that DADA test we have tomorrow? I think I'm a bit iffy on how to repel inferi and vampires? Doesn't fire do the trick?" Amanda baited her. Rose froze.

"I completely forgot! I have to go study more!"

Before Amanda got two words out, Rose were hurrying off to the Gryffindor common room. She sighed, Rose was so predictable. Amanda went back to the Great Hall, making her way through the lamp-lit corridors.

She went over to the Slytherin table to sit with Atria and Scorpius.

Amanda's eyebrows shot up. Celaena, one of the girls from their dorm, was mercilessly flirting with Scorpius and Atria was watching in amusement. Amanda made a big show of sitting down, drawing everyone's attention.

"Celaena, what are you doing over here?" Amanda asked, drawing attention to the flirting girl, and Atria choked on some pumpkin juice.

"Just asking Scorpius about the Ancient Runes homework." The girl responded and then went back to "talking about homework."

Atria smirked at Amanda. "Subtle." She muttered before taking a long drink from her glass.

"Hey, Celaena is almost as bad as Jenny. We do not need that right now. It's bad enough sharing a dorm with her. Imagine being in the same room while we're awake." Amanda whispered before fixing a plate from the amazing buffet of food. There was an amazing looking apple pie Amanda had her eye on, but first she had to eat something healthy and with protein. Scorpius was running them ragged in practice and they had had a break between the Hogsmeade attack and the Aurors and ministry officials coming and going, but now it was back to reality.

And Scorpius was going to be twice as hard on them because they had missed the past two weeks of practice. It was already November and Scorpius kept ranting about how they only had three weeks to practice before Christmas break. And then he gave a lecture about how Quidditch players couldn't get fat over the holidays and everyone had to run at least five kilometers a day.

Atria had laughed at that last one.

"You know, I don't think I've done my essay yet, so I can't really help you." Scorpius carefully moved away from Caleana, who had subtly inched closer.

"Maybe we should do it together!" She exclaimed and Amanda smirked at his predicament. Amidst everything horrific and gloomy in the outside world, it was nice to see some things never changed.

"Unfortunately, I have a very busy schedule with Head Duties-"

Atria leaned her elbows on the table and rested her face on her hands. The picture of innocence. "That's why he usually does studying with Rose. They're always together." Atria said and Amanda nodded.

Caleana smiled primly. "Of course! I completely understand, she is the brightest witch in our year. Although I'm sorry you've been thrown together…" She trailed off coyly and while it took Scorpius a minute to catch up to her train of thoughts, the other girls caught on immediately. While Scorpius was busy floundering, Atria slowly pulled out two pieces of parchment.

Amanda laughed when she saw the two lists of the most eligible boys and girls at Hogwarts. "Hmm…" Atria's eyes skimmed over the paper. "Scorpius, I think I might need glasses because I can't quite see this anymore. Could you read it to me." Atria shoved one of the parchments across the table before he could respond. Caleana was looking over his shoulder discreetly and promptly scowled.

"Um… it's the list we made last year of girls we thought were attractive…" He said meekly.

"But not just attractive girls, the most attractive girls at Hogwarts." Atria sneered at Caleana who was now blushing furiously. "And who is number one?"

Scorpius glared at Atria, "Rose Weasley, but I wasn't the only one-"

"So you see," Atria ignored him and spoke to the girl who looked like she was about to cry, "Scorpius is best friends with Rose, who also happens to be the most gorgeous girl in the school, and as you pointed out… the smartest. I hardly think he is sorry he was thrown together with her. In fact, they were both ecstatic. So why don't you go somewhere else and flirt with a bloke who's interested." Atria said condescending and by the end of her speech Caleana was already backing away.

Amanda blinked. "Okay, that was a bit harsh."

"You started it." Atria shrugged.

"Yea, but not to her face and in front of everyone."

"It's not like I was saying something new."

Scorpius finally shook himself out of his stupor. "Attie, ten points from Slytherin." He said quietly with fury.

Atria's mouth opened. "Why?" She exclaimed.

"For bullying. You purposely made her feel bad and you humiliated her in front of everyone." Scorpius said, unphased by her glares.

"She's annoying."

"That's no excuse." Scorpius continued eating. "It's fine not to like her, but you shouldn't publicly scorn her just because she rubs you the wrong way."

"She rubs everyone the wrong way!"

Scorpius sighed and set down his fork. "I can't believe I have to explain to you why bullying is wrong." Atria gritted her teeth.

"I know why bullying is wrong, but I was just playing."

Amanda looked at her plate. "Sometimes you confuse the two."

Atria huffed and then began picking at her food. Amanda looked at Scorpius and rolled her eyes. She loved Attie to death but she had a tendency to take things too far. Sometimes that was a good thing, sometimes it was not.

Going overboard when buying Christmas present: good. Mocking people enough to make them cry: bad.

Atria mumbled something softly. Amanda frowned, "Sorry?"

"No, I'm sorry." Attie sighed. "I don't try to be mean." Amanda put her arm around Atria's shoulders and squeezed.

"We know." Amanda smiled. "You are very passionate and loyal. And protective of friends. But sometimes, you don't consider the feelings of people beyond your circle of friends." Amanda said kindly and Atria shrugged.

"Sometimes you don't consider the feelings of your friends either." Scorpius muttered.

Atria huffed. "I'm sorry for calling you a maniacal tyrant but do you really expect us to run five kilometers each day over break? Really?"

Amanda grinned as the tension between them defused.

"What happened to Rose, anyways?" Scorpius cleared his throat.

"Oh, she went to go study for the DADA test tomorrow."

Atria's eyes widened. "We have a test tomorrow?"

"Yep."

"Why didn't anyone tell me? I am going to fail this class!" She abandoned her dinner and began packing up her things. "Who needs Defense anyways?" She mumbled before running off. Amanda looked at Scorpius who simply shook his head.

"Um… everyone." Amanda said to no one.

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Scorpius found Rose bent over her textbook, scribbling notes in the Head's common room. She was so engulfed in her studying she didn't hear him come in or come up behind her.

"Hey."

Rose jumped up and screeched a little. Scorpius leapt back as Rose clutched her chest, trying to catch her breath. "Scorpius you scared me!" She smacked his arm. "Why would you sneak up on me?" She sat back down and brushed down her hair.

"I wasn't trying to." He sat on the couch adjacent from where Rose was in her armchair.

She shook her head and refocused on studying. He liked to watch her study. Whenever she remembered a correct fact her eyebrows would shoot up in surprise and then she would conceal a smile which would eventually come out. Her hair looked amazing today. It always looked amazing, except for when Dominique Weasley had convinced her to put some potion in her hair which took out all of her curls and frizz.

Scorpius happened to love when Rose's hair looked like this. It was loose and a little bit crazy, like she had just stepped off a broom or completed a dual. Her especially loved it when her cheeks matched her hair and the beautiful flush continued to her ears.

Without looking up Rose said, "Why are you staring at me?"

Scorpius smirked confidently. "I like to." He also liked to see her riled up. Rose had never handled any type of compliments well. So naturally he liked to tease her. She thought he was only teasing, but he meant every word.

"Well, can you stop?" And there was that lovely blush.

"No."

Rose looked up at him for a moment and then put her quill down. "Can I ask you something?" She said seriously, her lips thinned into a line.

"Of course." He frowned.

"What do you think of Sal?"

Scorpius frowned… and maybe growled a bit.

"Because," Rose continued, "I know Amanda and Atria don't like him. I don't know why though. They seemed to like him in the beginning and then Atria being Atria, changed her mood. And now Amanda doesn't seem fond of him either."

Scorpius wasn't sure how to answer this without sounding like a jealous boyfriend. Which he wasn't. She would never go out with him… or see him as more than a friend. "It's hard to tell what goes on in their brains." Scorpius said carefully.

"I know, but what do you think of him?" Rose persisted.

"He seems… fine." Scorpius said slowly.

"But you don't like him?"

_No_. "I don't really know him that well," Scorpius evaded the question. Of course he didn't like the bloke who was trying to move in on his best friend whom Scorpius also happened to be in love with.

"I think he's nice, but there's something about him." Rose shook her head. "I feel like I can't trust him, he's too charming."

"Well, then you can't date him." Scorpius said quickly. "If you can't trust him, you can't be with him." Rose bit her lip thoughtfully. "Rose, where do you see yourself in five years?"

She looked at him with a confused expression. He waited for an answer. "Working at the Ministry I suppose. In the Department of Magical Education." She smiled.

"Right, and is Sal in that future?" Scorpius demanded.

"Well, no."

"So if you can't imagine yourself with him in five years, why date him now? You don't want a fling and you know it's not going anywhere."

Rose smiled brightly. "You're right. I'll wait for the right guy."

That didn't make Scorpius feel better, but at least he had avoided one disaster. "Exactly. The one person you can't live without." He sounded much more convinced than her felt. He looked at Rose, but she was staring off into space with the expression she got after finally figuring out an Arithmancy question.

"Rose?"

Her attention snapped back to him. Sort of. She sat down and didn't look at him.

"Thanks for the advice." Her voice was far away.

"No problem, I'm just going to have a shower." He said, but he knew she wasn't paying him any attention. He wondered what she was thinking about but then thought maybe it was better if he didn't know.

His heart hurt a little bit. It was difficult talking to Rose about the imaginary man that should would end up with one day. He didn't want to think about when that man stopped being imaginary and it became a reality.

It would happen and it would kill Scorpius to watch Rose fall in love with someone else.

That would be the day his heart would break.

**Hi! So what did you think? I got some requests for a little bit more Rose/Scor so here it is. What do you think Rose was thinking about in the end. **

**Also who do you think will be the first person who finds out about Atria's secret? I know I asked that already but just in case you forgot. **

**\- Alex**


	28. Balls and Realizations

**I had to post this one as soon as I wrote it. I'm so excited and I just couldn't wait! **

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything you recognize. **

By the time Atria and Amanda got to the Room of Requirement, they were the last ones there. Lily crossed her arms and tapped one of her feet, looking very much like Rose.

"Where have you two been?" She snapped. Atria and Amanda shared a private look.

Rose gave them a suspicious glance.

"Just having some fun," Atria responded vaguely. "Why did you summon us here?"

Lily huffed. "Hogsmeade has been canceled and we need to get dresses. I've been writing with mum and she said she would take us into Diagon Alley with some Aurors. Now, I've asked if Amanda could stay with us. And Rose too. Basically a big sleepover at our house-"

"Seriously?" Amanda grinned.

"Of course. So Amanda, you need to write to your parents and tell them you won't be coming home until after the ball." Lily said strictly.

"Isn't it Christmas Eve?"

"Yes, tell them to expect you home late. We're starting break on the twentieth, next week, so you'll be staying at our house for four days. We're going shopping on the twenty first. Hopefully, we'll be able to get dresses on such short notice."

"Why do we need to be here for this?" Hugo asked dully, motioning to Albus and Scorpius.

"Because…" Lily squinted her eyes and she thought about it. Her eyes snapped open. "Albus you need to invite Scorpius to stay with us as well."

"But my parents go to the ball too." Scorpius said slowly.

"Yes, but it's no fun if you don't join the sleepover. It has to be everyone." Lily whined. "Mum said it's alright if he comes."

"Yes, but what about my dad?" Rose mumbled.

"Already taken care of." Lily said vaguely which made Atria very suspicious. Lily was bossy like Rose, but sneaky like James. It was quite frightening.

Although Atria noticed that Rose had been quiet for the past few weeks. And she hardly looked at Scorpius. Atria hoped they weren't fighting again, especially before Christmas break.

"I'm surprised they're still having the ball." Scorpius leaned back into the couch.

Lily frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, with the recent attacks and everything…"

Lily jumped up, "That's why the ball must go on! We have to show those lunatics that they can't scare us. Besides, there's going to be lots of extra security."

Atria and Albus looked at each other and grinned at Lily's antics.

"Is that all?" Rose asked. "Because I have three essays do before break starts."

"You have six days to do them," Hugo waved off her concerns.

Rose shot her brother a look. "Yes, that only leaves two days for each essay. Oh, I'll never be able to reread, review, and rewrite in two days." Amanda patted her back comfortingly.

"We should go." Amanda agreed.

Lily scowled, "Fine, we'll talk more later."

Everyone dispersed quite quickly. Scorpius waited for Atria and Amanda to go back to the common room, but they sent him along. "You go. We'll see you at dinner," said Atria and the girls walked off before he could reply.

"So Amanda, where are you meeting Jack to go to the ball?" Atria asked. She couldn't come right out and ask what was wrong with Rose. She had to lead into it with some small talk.

"I don't know. We haven't really talked about it. I suppose we'll just meet at the ministry." She shrugged.

"What color dress do you think you'll where?" Rose asked.

Amanda laughed, "I don't know. I'll see when we go shopping. And you, Attie? Blue or purple?" Atria made a face.

"Am I really so predictable?"

"With colors? Yes." Amanda nodded. It was true. Atria favoured blue and purple, especially for her hair, but maybe it was time for a change up.

"I was thinking red."

Rose raised her eyebrows. "Really. That's bold."

Atria shrugged. "I'll make it work. And I don't have to worry about it clashing with my hair." She tugged on a curl of Rose's red hair. "What color are you going to wear?"

"I was thinking white."

Amanda grinned. "You'll be the belle of the ball."

Atria cleared her throat. "And who will you be taking as a date, Rose?"

Rose blushed. "No one."

"I was thinking you could go with Scorpius." Atria said casually. "Just as friends."

Rose's eyes widened. "No!" She looked around nervously and Atria frowned. Maybe there were fighting after all. "I mean, it would be weird. And my dad would freak out." Rose shook her head.

"So you're not fighting with Scorpius?" Atria asked.

"Of course not." Rose scoffed, but there was still a weird look on her face.

"I thought your dad was fine with Scor now?" Amanda questioned.

Rose swallowed. "As a friend. But not as a date." She insisted and looked at the floor.

Amanda turned to Atria, "And you? Are you going with Al 'as friends'." She didn't actually use air quotes but the way she said it made Atria think they were implied. And she wasn't sure how to take that. Was Amanda simply teasing, because of what she had asked Rose, or did her friend know something.

"Of course not," Atria snorted and rolled her eyes for good measure.

Amanda caught Atria's eye and gave her a knowing look. Atria looked away quickly and changed the subject.

"Lily has turned into a bit of a tyrant, hasn't she?"

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Tony was an new Ministry Employee. Did he even have a right to approach the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement? He muttered some words of encouragement to himself.

Then he rapped on the heavy door three times.

"Enter." A gruff voice was muffled by the door, which swung open a moment later.

Tony took a deep breath, clutched his folder and then walked in.

"Sir, I believe I have crucial information regarding a lead on the radical-"

"They're Death Eater," the old wizard said, "let's not get into those long unnecessary names."

Tony swallowed. "Yes well, I was looking into it and I realized something-"

"Under what authority have you been investing these attacks? That's a job for the Auror Department."

"Yes well, the Auror Department does fall under the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Tony broke off when his boss threw him a look. "Anyways, I thought we should look into some of the older families."

"We have looked into the Pureblood families who were involved with this business in the past. Nothing came up…"

"We looked at political affiliations and any underground activity." Tony made large hand motions, getting very excited. "But we didn't look at money."

The Head of the Department folded his hands and rested his chin on them. "You mean Gringotts?"

Tony nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, and at first I thought it was nothing. I was just checking in with some old friends, when I heard one of the goblins mention going into the lower vaults. Now, only the oldest families' money is kept in the lower vaults. Of course, there are a number of Purebloods among them, and most of them would still take money out."

"But…"

"I asked my friend to look into some of the records. It was very tricky business getting the goblins to give us access, but with some persuasion…"

"But goblins don't keep track of names."

"No, but they do keep track of when a vault is opened. Get this, the Lestrange vault has been opened every few money for the last decade!"

The older man's eyes widened. "But the Lestrange line…"

"Died with Bellatrix and Rodolphus. Or so we thought. Several goblins recall a middle aged woman coming in and then a young girl joining her. The woman matches the description of one of the spearheads of this new group of Death Eaters…" The Head of the Department was on his feet now.

"You think this woman is a Lestrange?"

"Imagine, if Bellatrix had a child before going to Azkaban! It would put her around the right age and no one would know the girl as Lestrange's daughter because she didn't raise the child." Tony nodded enthusiastically.

"And the young girl…?"

Tony hesitated. "Well, the description given was of a girl with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes… but if she was the granddaughter, then she could simply look like her father."

"But the woman has been in Azkaban? We haven't know who she is… until now."

"Get this, the girl has been seen within the last few year."

The older man's eyes widened. "She's been on the loose?"

"Yes, according to the description… when she was coming with her mother, she was around age seventeen or so. That would put her around age twenty now. And she's been coming to Gringotts even after the Death Eaters were arrested four years ago."

"That could help explain how they escaped." The man nodded thoughtfully. Then he looked furious. "Why was the Ministry not informed that the Lestrange vault had been opened? Especially after the escape and the recent attacks?" He thundered.

Tony coughed, "Yes well, the goblins were extremely reluctant to give us the information when we asked for it… they were hardly going to give us information without us asking for it."

"OUTRAGEOUS!"

Tony jumped. "Yes, of course."

"I want every Auror in my office! Get Potter and Weasley." He barked and then stopped. He pointed a withered hand at Tony. "But do not speak of this to anyone else. The less people who know about this the better. We might be able to get the girl… have Aurors watching Gringotts!"

Tony nodded. The man waited.

"Well, go!"

Tony ran out of the office, folder clutched in his arms, and he set off the find Harry Potter to tell him about this girl who was most likely the granddaughter of Bellatrix Lestrange and the daughter of the most notorious Death Eater in the last decade.

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Rose wouldn't say it outloud, but she knew everyone was thinking it.

She was nervous for the ball. In two days, they would all be going to the Potter's house and then on Christmas Eve there was a massive party with all the most important people in the Wizarding World.

First, there was the constant threat of death that loomed over their every move.

Second, one of her future bosses might be at this party and she was horribly awkward in social situations with strangers. In past years, it had always seemed like she had years to think about the future and the preparations she would have to make. Rose had never tried to please any of the Ministry officials when he parents introduced her. But this year, there seemed to be more pressure to be socially accepted and appear as a responsible young witch.

Third… Scorpius Malfoy. He was going to be staying in the same house as her. Sure they had lived under a roof together for the past six and a half year, technically. But there had always been passwords and spells to keep them separated.

Now, there was nothing separating her from her best friend. The one boy, outside of her family, whom she could totally rely on. For some reason that terrified her.

Perhaps it was what he had said a few weeks ago.

_Wait for the person you can't live without_.

And the face that came to her mind was Scorpius's. His gunmetal eyes that could appear harsh to an outsider, but she knew where the picture of kindness and loyalty. If there was one person she could trust it was him. They had had their bumps, but he always stuck by her even if it meant giving up his pride.

Rose couldn't imagine life without him. Of course, that didn't necessarily have to be romantic, but she couldn't pretend that for the past couple of weeks she hadn't been thinking about it.

What scared her more than her daydreams, was the fact that in six months they would be parting ways. Would they still be friends if they didn't go to school together? What if he got a job far away from hers?

Okay, that was silly. It was a probability that they would both end up at the Ministry. They had talked about it for ages and both of them had done internships over the summer. For some reason, she had this sinking feeling that everything was about to change.

Rose looked at the fireplace, a dance of red and orange. The Head's common room was aglow with light from the fire.

She randomly thought about her hair. The stupid color that made it difficult to choose any dress. She felt the need to make a spectacular showing at the ball. Her go to color was green, because it went so well with her hair and eyes, but that was getting old.

A few days ago, when Atria asked what color Rose wanted to wear she had responded white. It seemed like a logical choice. White couldn't possibly clash with her hair. But was that too safe. Atria was going to wear red. A color of passion if there ever was one.

Maybe she could speak with Dom or Roxy. They always seemed to know best in the fashion department.

Rose was pulled from her thoughts when the portrait hole opened. She sat up from where she had been lying on the couch ad straightened her skirt.

As Scorpius walked in, he was in the middle of pulling his bag over his head.

"You know, I think we should change the password. Unity is a bit stupid and obvious." He said as he plopped down on the couch. Rose smiled and laughed shortly.

"Well, what do you think we should change it to?"

"_Scorpius is amazing_." He suggested and she threw a pillow at his head, which he easily intercepted.

"How about _typewriter_?" She offered.

"What?"

"It's an old muggle device used to type letters. Sort of like a computer." She explained and he raised his eyebrows. "It's not obvious." She said.

"Alright then. _Typewriter_ it is."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"I can't believe you're coming to stay with us." Rose bit her lip.

"I've stayed at the Potter's before."

"But not with me." Rose felt the need to point out.

"I'm more surprised that you're father is allowing it."

Rose laughed. "Knowing Aunt Ginny, I wouldn't be surprised if dad doesn't know a thing about it. In fact, I would bet on it."

"Attie said you don't have a date."

Rose blinked at the sudden topic change and looked at Scorpius. He looked casual, like he was just asking a question that simply popped into his mind, with not personal interest in her answer.

"I don't." Rose agreed.

Scorpius pressed his lips together and nodded. Rose waited for him to say something else but he just looked lost in his own thoughts. It drove Rose mad. He was just going to leave it hanging there? Was he jealous or simply asking a random question based on something Atria had mentioned.

Rose would have to thank Atria, if there was ever a time it would be appropriate, for opening up this line of discussion. "Can I asked you something?" She said nervously and Scorpius looked at her questioningly.

"Of course."

Rose swallowed. "Why did you go out with Jenny?" She asked slowly, afraid of what his reaction might be. She didn't want him to think she was jealous.

Scorpius raised one eyebrow. "Umm…"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," said Rose quickly.

"No, it's alright. I suppose I was caught up in being a teenager. She was a pretty girl who was interested in me and it was the first time that had happened," He was cut off by Rose's noise of disbelief.

Scorpius glanced at her and Rose sighed, "Scorpius, that was not the first time a girl had shown interest in you. I remember walking in the girls' lavatory on several occasion and hearing your name mentioned quite a bit. Jenny was the first girl you were interested in… not the first girl to notice you." She told him.

He blinked and then looked down. "I don't know what it was. It certainly wasn't her personality or stunning brains…"

"Her looks then…" Rose muttered, a bit disheartened.

Scorpius looked guilty. "Maybe, but I'm glad it's over."

"Why don't you have a girlfriend now?" She asked automatically and then cursed herself.

"Like I said… I'm waiting for the right girl." His eyes bore into hers. "And I'm waiting for her to notice me." Rose's spine went straight.

"So you've met her?" She couldn't help how her voice rose, but she tried to remain calm. Why did it make her so nervous that Scorpius thought he had met the girl he wanted to be with? Logically, she knew she had no claim over him. Merlin, she wasn't even clear on her own feelings for him.

"I don't know," Scorpius answered honestly.

Rose's chest got tight. Was she simply being possessive? Atria got possessive over her friends sometimes… even Albus, and she had no romantic interest in him.

"Will you tell me?" Rose asked. "When you meet this girl?"

Scorpius smirked at her.

"You'll be the first one to know."

**Wow. I had so much fun writing this chapter my heart is literally racing. Probably because I went back and added in that bit in the Ministry. Anyways… what do you guys think? This was originally a fluff and filler chapter, but then I was like 'at this point in the game, there are no filler chapters. We are reaching the end and everything counts!' So dramatic, I feel like this is my best chapter yet. - Alex**


	29. The Beginning of the End

Atria sighed as she got off the train. Albus looked sideways at her. "What?"

"I just realized this is the last time we'll be coming home for Christmas break. The next time we come home we won't be coming back." She frowned at the thought and then looked at Albus. He smiled reassuringly.

"We'll be moving on to bigger and better things." His hand brushed hers innocently but she knew he wanted to take her hand. Unfortunately, they were surrounded by other students getting off the train.

The pit in Atria's stomach grew as she registered what he had said.

This pit had been appearing more and more and she knew that soon… she was going to have to tell him. It was getting more difficult to pretend like she was happy about the future.

But she smiled anyways, "You're right."

"Now, where did Scorpius, Rose and Amanda go?" Once they were safely on the platform and away from the mass exodus of students they went in search of their families. Atria was surprised to see Ginny and Harry standing with Hermione. Normally it was only Ginny and Hermione who picked up the kids from the train.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Albus smiled and embraced his father. Ginny hugged Atria and then called out for Lily, who appeared behind them with Hugo a moment later.

Harry cleared his throat. "Well, the Auror office wanted to send a few people to watch the platform. I volunteered so I could see you, but I'm not coming home with you. The Aurors have to stay until the platform is clear and check the train."

Atria swallowed, feeling exposed, like they could read the emotions on her face. But of course, they couldn't. They hardly paid attention to her presence anymore, she was just another part of the family.

"Where is everyone else?" Hermione asked.

Albus shrugged. "We lost them in the escape." Ginny whacked her son's arm.

"There they are!" Lily began waving wildly. Scorpius's platinum blonde hair stood above the crowd. This was another example of why Atria wished she was taller. Lily was almost a half a head taller than her and she could see everything. Atria on the other hand, had to stand on her toes or jump to look through a crowd.

"Where did you lot disappear to?" Amanda huffed as she flattened her hair which was all frizzy from walking through the throng of people.

Atria folded her arms. "You were right behind us in train."

Rose hugged her mum.

"We've missed you." Ginny said and then addressed Amanda and Scor. "We're so happy you two are able to stay with us for a few days. And we're happy to hear that you'll be joining us at the ball," she told Amanda.

"Well," Lily started, "technically she's joining the cute boy who invited her."

Rose nudged Lily and Amanda blushed. "Thank you for having me."

"No problem! We have a busy few days ahead of us. Hermione will be joining us for dinner tonight. Tomorrow we'll go to Diagon Alley and do some shopping." Ginny put her arm around Lily and squeezed.

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"Rose, come out!" Atria banged on the door to the dressing room.

"I think it might be a bit much." Rose called back. Lily was in the next dressing room trying on a fluffy blue dress with lace straps and a black satin ribbon around the waist. Amanda and Ginny were shuffling through more dresses.

"Just come out." Atria rolled her eyes. She leaned against the wall and made a ticking sound, waiting for Rose to come out.

When she finally did, Atria blinked.

True to her word Rose chose a white dress with gold trim on the ruffles of the skirt. There was a gold sash around the waist that gave the appearance of an hourglass figure. The sleeves were short and ruffled with little specks of gold all over the bodice, making Rose look like she was shimmering.

"How does it look?" Rose said nervously. She turned around and the floor-length ruffles fluffed up and Atria was sure this was what princesses looked liked.

"You are the picture of perfection." Atria nodded, confirming her own statement. Rose blushed. Amanda and Ginny came over.

"That is your dress." Amanda said automatically. "If anyone else tried to wear it you could sue them." Rose flushed with excitement.

"I really like it." She agreed. "And I have the perfect shoes to go with this."

Lily came out and clapped her hands together. "Perfect!" Lily appraised Rose.

Lily also looked spectacular with in the aquamarine dress which fell just above her knees. The blue brought out the hazel in her eyes and the fire in her hair. "Now we just need to find a dress for you two." Lily looked between Amanda and Atria.

Atria grinned and picked up the red dress she had laid across the bench outside the dressing room. Ginny's eyes widened. "That's… bold."

"I know." Atria grinned at her selection. "And now… for Amanda."

Amanda sighed. "I don't know. Nothing here is striking my fancy."

Madam Malkin appeared with several dresses in hand. "These just came in, love. Why don't you look at some of them?" She held them up and Amanda's eyes widened.

Everyone else seemed to know the dress she was looking at.

Lily nodded, "That is absolutely the dress you are going to wear."

Amanda grinned and took the gown in her hands. Silk, she thought, as the fabric slipped through her fingers.

"Well, that's settled then."

Ginny pinched her nose. "Are you girls sure these are the dresses you want?"

Rose's eyes widened, "Is it too much? I knew it!" She started to stomp back to the dressing room, but Atria stopped her.

"No, it's perfect!" Atria looked at Ginny. "We're adults now, and we all need to look gorgeous for this ball."

Amanda looked knowingly at Attie, "So who are you trying to impress?" Atria looked at her friend innocently.

"No one, but myself. Things have been so down lately, we need a pick-me-up and the best way to get things back to normal is to get dressed up and pretend like this is the most important night of our lives." Atria looked at herself in a mirror and smoothed her hands down the shimmery fabric of her dress.

Ginny sighed, "The boys will not approve."

"Who cares what they think?" Amanda rolled her eyes. Atria came up next to Amanda and then fluffed her hair up. Some pieces of her hair went red.

"Jack won't know what hit him." Atria smirked.

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James waited at the kitchen counter for his family and friends to get home. He hadn't warned his mother he was coming home, he hadn't told anyone in fact. He wanted to surprise them. Admittedly, he may have acted rashly, because he wasn't looking for this to be a happy surprise.

No, he was angry.

First, Atria had written to him once since they had been back at Hogwarts. Rose had only written three time, which was practically nothing compared to her weekly letters to other members of the family. Albus had written twice. Once to say Quidditch tryouts had started and another time to ask for girl advice.

James scoffed at Albus needing girl advice. What girl would be interested in his dopey little brother? Of course, that might explain why he did need advice. Obviously Al was lost without his older brother's wisdom.

What do I do if the girl I like refuses to admit she likes me too?

James's immediate response had been to find another girl. He thought better of it though and told Albus to tease the girl. Make her want him without words, but with actions. James never heard if Albus followed his advice or if he got the girl.

And worst of all… Amanda. They hadn't spoken since they went out for drinks for her birthday. It had been months since he had spoken her and then… how did he find out she had a date to the Christmas Ball? Through Freddie!

Because his family felt the need to inform his cousin, but not him! And to top it all off, Amanda and Scorpius were staying at their house before the ball. He was pissed off that Amanda hadn't written.

_Hey James, I'm coming to stay with your family so I can go to the ball with another man. _

_Sincerely, Amanda_

He thought sarcastically. She didn't even have the decency to tell him herself.

Female voices travelled through the house and then five women appeared in the kitchen. He was vaguely aware that his mum was barking words of surprise and Atria and Lily were laughing. They were all carrying bags.

But all he wanted to see was Amanda's face. He wanted to see the guilt for not telling him she would be here. Instead, she simply looked surprised like the rest of his family. His anger rose, but he smiled at his mum.

"Sorry, I didn't owl but I didn't know if I would be able to get off for these few days." He ran his fingers through his hair and gave them all a lopsided smile. His mum hugged him and then Lily came over.

"Does this mean you're coming to the ball?" She asked excitedly.

James ruffled her hair and she ducked under his hand. "Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world." Atria clutched her bag close to her chest.

"Ah! You can't see our dresses. It's a surprise!" She shrieked. "We have to take them upstairs before the Albus and Scor get here." She said urgently to Amanda and Rose. Rose nodded while Amanda simply looked amused.

"I'm going to owl my friend and tell her about my dress." Lily bouncing up and down and then ran off. Atria started to exit as well.

"And we need to go hide our dresses!" She grinned and looked at Rose and Amanda expectantly. Rose gave James a hug and then followed Attie's lead. "You coming?" She asked Amanda.

"Can you take my dress? I want to grab a snack while I'm in the kitchen." Amanda handed her dress to Atria, who took it and nodded.

"Bring something up for us. We'll meet in my room." And then the two girls left.

Ginny nodded. "Help yourself to whatever you want. I'm going back to Diagon Alley to pick up the boys from the joke shop." And then she left and James looked at Amanda.

His anger deflated a bit. Actually, it went away entirely. What right did he have to be angry with her for not writing? As she pointed out once upon a time, they weren't really friends. They just happened to have some friends in common. Yet, the thought of them not being friends left a bad taste in his mouth.

Amanda went over to some cabinets and began to shuffle through them.

"Is there something in particular you wanted?" James asked.

"Do you have any strawberries? Or cereal?" she asked. James stared at her for a moment and then barked out a laugh. She looked at him questioningly over her shoulder.

James sobered, but the smile stayed on his face. He was stupid to think he could stay mad at her. "We have some cereal in the cabinet to your right." He told her and she went back to looking. When she found a brand that she liked he grabbed her a bowl from a different cabinet. "Here." She took the bowl.

"Thank you."

James rubbed the back of his neck. He felt like he should say something but he wasn't sure what he should say. "Why didn't you write?" He blurted out. He pressed his lips together and watched her eyebrows shoot up.

And then her eyes narrowed. His chest tightened. "I could ask you the same thing."

That was not the response he had expected.

When he stayed silent, she shook her head. "We were both busy. While you were off being the Quidditch hero, we had to deal with an attack on Hogsmeade and Death Eaters attacking students." She snapped. She set the bowl down so she could cross her arms, and James swallowed.

James frowned. "That's not fair. You can't punish me for not being there-"

"No, but you didn't write after that attack. You didn't ask if I was okay! So why should I check in on you? I think you have made it perfectly clear where our friendship sits on your list of priorities." She growled and it was one of the only times he had ever seen her worked up.

His temper dimmed. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking…"

"Exactly. You weren't think about me, so why should I be thinking about you?"

"But why didn't you tell me you were coming to stay here over break?"

Amanda snorted. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming home? I didn't think you would be here, so it was irrelevant whether or not I told you."

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming to the Christmas ball?"

"Again, why do you need to know?"

"Who is this Jack person anyways?" He snapped and she nodded.

"Is that what this is about? You know, not every girl is interested in your possessive caveman act. I would have thought you learned that with Atria…" She shook her head and he had no response.

James inhaled slowly. "I'm not trying to be possessive. I thought we talk about this. We are friends, whether you like it or not. And I'm simply interested in what is going on my my friend's life." He waited for her to say something… anything.

She gave him a steeled look. "We can't be friends if you don't respect my privacy."

He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of boisterous laughter. A moment later Albus, Scorpius, and Hugo joined them in the kitchen. Amanda deflated a bit and leaned against the counter, avoiding eye contact. His mum followed in a moment later.

"James, what are you doing here?" Albus asked. James sighed.

"I just thought I'd visit but apparently no one wants to see me."

Ginny shook her head. "James, stop being dramatic, you know that's not true."

"Where is everyone?" Scorpius asked.

Amanda cleared her throat. "They're in Attie's room, and I was just going to join them." She took the cereal and didn't bother to grab the bowl James had gotten her. She paused at the doorway out of the kitchen. "Where is Atria's room exactly?"

Albus laughed. "Come on, we were just going up to my room."

And then James was alone with his mum.

"James, is everything alright?" Damn is mother's intuition.

He ruffled his hair. "Of course, I'm just a bit tired from all the practices."

His mum smiled. "I hear you're doing quite well. I'm so proud of you." She ran her hand up and down his arm comfortingly. "We are happy to see you. It's unexpected. Are you coming to the ball as well?"

James puffed up his chest. "Of course! I always come!"

"And you always complain."

He glared at his mum.

"What's wrong?"

"I feel like I'm on the outside." He admitted and looked to where his friends had disappeared to. "So much has happened and I have no clue about it. And they don't seem to want to talk to me."

His mum laughed which he thought was rather cruel. Was she happy about his pain?

"James, you've graduated and they have other things to think about."

"Yes, but-"

"You can hardly be mad at them for having their own lives." His mum reasoned. He hated when she was right. "What were you talking about with Amanda?" His mum asked casually and she began to shuffle around the kitchen, doing meaningless tasks.

James sighed. "She didn't tell me she was coming to stay here."

"Did you tell her you were coming home?"

"Well… no," he admitted.

His mother threw him a look.

James tilted his head back and blew out a long breath. "She hasn't written to me at all."

Ginny raised her eyebrows and looked at him questioningly. And then her eyes widened and he did not like the look she on her face, like she had just realized something. Then her face went impassive again and she turned away from him and starting cutting chopping carrots.

"I didn't realize you and Amanda were that close."

There is was. The casual statement that James knew he had to answer carefully.

"Yes, well after everything that's happened this year…" He started. "I mean, she was poisoned, and she's one of Atria's friends so of course I want to get along with her." Damnit, Amanda was right. The whole reason he became interested in getting to know her was because of Attie. Amanda had said something similar a last year.

"She's seems lovely. It shouldn't be difficult to get along when you're all spending time together." She shrugged casually, but he knew she was baiting him.

"But it's more than getting along. I do want to be friends." James and from the way his mum ducked her head down he knew she was smiling. "And why shouldn't we be friends? It's like she's determined to be distant, but we're friends with the same people, so why shouldn't we be friends?" He was ranting at this point.

"James, I think you need to tell her how you feel."

"I have, she's stubborn."

His mum turned around and gav him a level look that said cut the bullshit. "James, I think you need to tell her how you really feel." James stared at his mother for a good long minute.

"I have." He said finally. Ginny shook her head and went back to cutting carrots. "I'm going to go upstairs."

"I'll see you for dinner."

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"So what were you and James arguing about?" Albus asked as they walked up one of the back staircases. Amanda once again thought about how wealthy all of her friends were… and how big their houses were. She hadn't actually spend much time here, they usually hung out at Scorpius's house.

Usually she just stopped here to pick up Atria and then they were off.

"Nothing really. He was just being… James." She shook her head and Hugo laughed.

"You sound like Grandma."

Amanda scrunched up her nose. "Thanks."

"Here we are." They stopped on one of the platforms. Merlin, the stairs didn't even end here. "This is my room." He motioned to the first door on the left. "And that's the bathroom." Finally, they stopped at the end of the hall.

"You and Attie share a bathroom?" Amanda looked at Albus, who quickly looked away. He rapped on the door.

"Yeah, it's a bit of a disaster actually." He coughed and Amanda gave him a scrutinizing look.

"Oh, I can imagine." She muttered and Albus looked at his feet. He opened Atria's door.

"There you are." Rose grinned.

Merlin…

For some reason, Amanda had imagined Atria having a guest room of sorts. But no, her room was a spacious dream of a teenager. She had a queen sized bed and a big window letting light in all over the room. There was a dresser on the opposite wall of her bed and a large mirror. There was another mirror on the back of her door. A big blue rug lay next to the bed and on top of the bed sat lots of fluffy pillows. There were pictures of all of them hanging over her bed.

Atria and Lily were sitting on the bed and Rose was leaning against the foot of the bed.

Albus went and sat in the armchair that rested in the corner. There was another door that Amanda assumed led to a closet.

Scorpius sat down next to Rose and Amanda joined the other two girls on the bed. Hugo sat on Albus and then was promptly pushed to the floor.

"So how was shopping?" Scorpius asked. Amanda couldn't tell if he was asking all of them or just Rose, because he was only looking at the redhead.

Rose shrugged. "Uneventful."

"Did you get your dresses?" Al asked.

"Yep!" Atria chirped. "But don't ask to see them. It's a surprise."

Albus held up his hands. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Lily grinned. "I'm so excited!" She clapped her hands together and bounced on the bed.

Amanda wished she shared Lily's excitement, but after her conversation with James the ball was only making her nervous. It was clear that he didn't want her to go to the ball. But she wasn't sure if it was out of jealousy, misguided concern, or arrogant possessiveness.

"Are you guys in there?" James's voice came through the door.

For some reason everyone looked at Amanda. No one moved or said anything and it became clear they weren't going to until Amanda gave them the okay. Amanda got up and opened the door. James was raising his hand like he was going to knock. He seemed surprised that it was Amanda who opened the door.

"Yes?" She raised her eyebrows. She heard a low whistle come from Albus.

"Can I join you?" He rubbed the back of his head.

Amanda stepped aside. "Of course. You're an adult, you can do whatever you want. It's not like someone can say you can't do something just because they don't want you to." She ranted while she sat back down next to Atria.

Atria mumbled something that sounded like, "Shots fired."

James looked guilty as he sat down at the chair at the small desk next to the bed.

"So Amanda, what's the name of your boyfriend?" Hugo asked innocently and Lily chucked a pillow at him. Amanda avoided looking at James, but baised on the way Hugo was grinning she assumed he looked peeved.

"He's not my boyfriend. The ball is our first date."

"I thought you went to Hogsmeade together?" Atria asked automatically and then she quickly closed her mouth.

"We only went as friends, and that was sort of interrupted by impending doom." She replied dryly. "What about you, Al?" Amanda looked pointedly at Albus.

"Me?"

"Do you have a date?"

Albus coughed. "No," He said slowly.

James jumped in, "What about that girl you were trying to impress?" Albus's cheeks turned pink and everyone turned to look at Al.

"What girl?" Scorpius asked accusingly, probably wondering why they hadn't heard of Al's mystery girl. Amanda had a theory about why he hadn't told them.

Albus stuttered, "Just a girl I was interested in. But I've moved on." He said quickly and Amanda couldn't help but monitor Atria's reaction. Atria was smiling in the scary way, like when she was about hex someone into oblivion and she was going to enjoy it.

"Who was she?" Rose asked.

"You don't know her." Albus said through his teeth. "And you, Rosie? What's the situation with Sal?" He threw back.

Rose's face went perfectly propera and she replied primly, "I have decided that I am not going to persure that particular relationship. As friends or as more than friends."

Scorpius looked sideways at her. "Really?"

"Yes, I think we're a bit too different." She said diplomatically. Amanda and Atria both looked at each other with smiles of relief.

"Good, because you're too young to be in a relationship." James said and everyone groaned.

"Don't be a hypocrite," Atria snapped playfully.

James smirked, "I would argue that I have never been in a relationship."

"Oh, like that's any better." Amanda rolled her eyes and James had the decency to look ashamed. And he wondered why she was avoiding him? "And what about that picture of you and that fangirl in the Prophet?" She asked pointedly.

James spoke quickly, "Oh, she was just a friend of a teammate. I don't really even know her. They just happened to get a couple of pictures of us together."

"She's very beautiful." Lily said dazedly.

"I wonder what the security is going to be like at the ball." Rose blurted. Amanda glared at James for a moment long and then looked at Rose.

"What?"

Rose swallowed. "Well, there's probably going to be loads of extra security."

"Do you think it'll be boring?" Lily worried. "I mean, if we don't have as much freedom…"

Atria waved her hand dismissively. "No, it'll still be amazing, I'm sure."

"I can hardly wait!" Lily squealed.

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Albus stood in front of his mirror, trying to get his hair to lie flat. It was impossible.

"You should put some gel in it." Scorpius said as he straightened out his the tie around his neck. Albus made a face.

"Nah, it doesn't matter." And yet his gut clenched. Tonight was going to be a true test for him and Atria. He wasn't sure what she was wearing, but given how secretive she was being about it, no doubt it was something jaw-dropping. He hoped it wasn't too spectacular for several reasons.

One, how was he supposed to keep his cool if she looked like a goddess? It was times like this when he wished that everyone knew. Then he could stare at her for as long as he wished and if someone else stared at her for too long… he could make them back off. And that was his other reason. He didn't want all the bored men at the ball to coming looking to her.

He remembered one man, last year, who had been prowling the room. Originally, he asked how old Rose was and then he moved on to Atria. Scorpius had coldly told the man that both of them were sixth years at Hogwarts and nowhere near being old enough to get with a thirty something year old creep.

There was a knock on his door and then his dad appeared, all dressed up. Except for his hair, which looked exactly like Albus's.

"Are you boys ready?"

Scorpius put his hands in his pockets, and shrugged casually. "As ready as I'll ever be." Albus wasn't sure what his friend was talking about… as if Scorpius didn't look ready for a photoshoot at Witch Weekly.

"Albus?"

"Yes, I suppose so. Are the girls ready?" Albus asked nervously.

Harry shrugged, "No idea, your mum is checking. But we should go wait for them downstairs. James and Hugo are already down there."

Well, this was it. Albus looked at himself one last time. He shouldn't be this nervous. It wasn't the first time he had seen Attie in a dress, and she had seen his dress robes before. Yet, it seemed different this time. Like now he actually had to pay attention to how he looked and how he behaved.

James was lounging on the couch in the salon and Hugo was fiddling with the telly.

"We're meeting your parents there." Harry told Hugo.

"Ugh, why do they have to come?" He groaned.

"If our parents are coming, then yours have to as well." James smirked. Harry frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean? We're the cool parents."

Albus rolled his eyes.

"I saved the world!"

"Yes, thirty years ago." Albus mumbled.

"It was only twenty six years ago." Harry pointed accusingly at his son. "Everyone's a critic." He shook his head and James threw his head back laughing. The door of the salon opened and James's laughter cut off.

Lily came in twirling in a blue dress. "How do I look?" Ginny followed in after her daughter in a floor length green satin gown. The skirts swished around her ankles and her red hair was left down with the front pinned back.

"You look beautiful," Harry went over and kissed his wife. Lily and James made gagging noises. Albus looked at his parents and his heart jumped. Would he and Atira ever look like that?

Speak of the devil…

Albus stopped breathing. He held his breath to stop himself from gasping or saying something in front of his family.

Her dress was red and she looked too beautiful for words. It was floor length and cinched her waist and just below her butt, while the skirt below the knees flowed out. It had long sleeves and showed no cleavages, but cut straight across her collarbone.

"How do I look?" She spun around and Dear Merlin… the dress didn't have a back. He could see the skin until just above her lower back.

Scorpius frowned. "You don't think it's a bit much?"

Atria laughed. "No." She pushed her some of her red and black hair out of her face. And her hair wasn't the only difference. He was pretty sure she had made some subtle changes to her face as well. Her nose seemed thinner and more aristocratic, while her cheekbones were hollow and her lips were fuller.

The sound of clicking heels and groaning came from behind Atria.

With a flourish Atria stepped aside, to reveal Rose leaning over and adjusting her strappy shoes.

Rose looked nice. Albus wasn't sure he felt good about his cousin wearing something so… appealing, however. James, Scorpius, and Hugo clearly agreed with him because they were looking at Rose with open mouths. Scorpius looked ready to have a hernia.

He especially wasn't fond of the way her hair was pinned up showing off her neck and collarbone. But at least her back wasn't completely open.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to wear these the whole night." She muttered as she slipped back into her heels.

"You don't have to," Amanda said as she entered the room.

Albus heard someone cough. maybe James. Amanda was dressed in a shimmering gold dress that reached the floor. It had a long slit up one side reaching her midthigh. The long V showed off the top of her cleavage and the dress was held up by two thin straps.

All in all, Al wasn't sure what his mother was thinking allowed them all to buy such… attractive gowns. James and Hugo seemed to be in agreement.

"We should get going," Harry said hastily.

"How are we arriving?" Hugo asked.

"By floo. That's the only way to go… the Ministry is monitoring all arrivals. Why don't you go first?" Ginny looked at the older kids. "We'll follow behind you. Say 'Ministry of Magic'. You will automatically be directed to the ballroom. Try to behave tonight." That was directed at James and Hugo. "Try not to explode any priceless statues." James stepped into the fireplace, no doubt to get away from his mother's impending lecture.

"Ministry of Magic!" He threw down the green powder and disappeared in a explosions of flames. Scorpius followed and then Rose.

Albus glanced at Atria and then stepped into the fireplace. Atria followed him, grabbing a handful of Floo powder as she did. When he was gone from sight, she ducked into the fireplace.

"Ministry of Magic."

When she opened her eyes lights flashed around her. She saw the Minister of Magic taking photos and a reporter scribbling down every word he uttered. Albus was talking with James and Scorpius just a few feet in front of her. Rose was looking around in amazement.

"I think this is the best ball yet." She grinned excitedly as Atria came up to her.

Amanda appeared next to them. "I wonder where Jack is. Is my hair okay? I was worried the Floo might have messed it up."

Atria appraised her friend. "Nope, you're perfect. Stay with us until you see him."

James came up to them, with Albus and Scor in tow.

"Let's get some drinks." He suggested and slung his arm around Amanda.

"Actually," Amanda stepped away. "I think I see my date. I'll see you lot later." She maneuvered away from James, who looked thoroughly pissed off.

"Let's go dance." Scorpius took Rose's hand.

Rose stuttered, "I don't know…"

"Well, I do, so let's go."

Atria looked at Albus quickly and longingly. Screw it. "Al, let's go dance. If Scor is dancing, then you have to as well." She took his hand and dragged him away.

"I'll just…" James words floated away as they went to the dance floor. Unfortunately this was no club, and the music playing was classical.

"I don't suppose you know how to waltz?" Albus looked around at older couples moving slowly to the music. Floating lanterns lit the dance floor and snow was falling but disappeared before it landed on the guests.

Atria laughed, "As a matter of fact, I do." She turned to face him and pulled him closer to her. She placed one hand in his and the other on his shoulder. He took her waist and smiled down at her.

"You are full of surprises."

His eyes bore into her and all she could think about in that moment was that she wanted him to kiss her. When his eyes widened, she pulled back, not even realizing that she had moved closer to his face.

"I want to kiss you." He whispered close to her ear. She felt his nose brush her cheek before he put some space between them.

"I'd be tempted to let you."

"Why are we dancing?" Albus asked. She felt his hand squeeze her side.

Atria looked around. "I want to." She watched Rose and Scorpius twirling around. While the most Albus could do was step from side to side and occasionally front to back, Scorpius was spinning Rose around and leading her.

That was the upside of being a pureblood. Controlling parents. Restrictive schedules. But with that came forced dancing lessons. Of course, a pureblood couldn't be anything less than societably perfect.

"They look happy," Albus noted. It was true, Rose had her head tossed back in laughter.

She saw Amanda and Jack talking with an older couple that Atria didn't recognize. "I wonder if those are Jack's parents." Atria whispered to Albus. Albus maneuvered Atria around so he could look.

"That's bold… meeting the parents."

"I've met your parents."

"Not as my girlfriend."

"That's true. Can't wait for that conversation," She muttered sarcastically.

"Have you thought anymore about our living arrangements after graduation?"

Atria nodded as the song changed for a classical waltz to a modern slow song. Albus put Atria's hands around his neck and wrapped both of his arms around her.

"I was thinking… it would be best if we didn't live together yet. But if we all lived close to each other, or even in the same building, that would be great. Then maybe in the near future," She cleared her throat, "you and I could live together." She watched his face light up and felt like shit.

She had been thinking about it. But more as a dream than a reality.

"That sounds great…"

"Remember that secret I told you about?" She asked a few minutes later.

Albus smirked. "You mean when you told me you had a secret, but you couldn't tell me what is was exactly?" Atria blushed and looked away.

"Right, well I still can't tell you, but I'm hesitant to plan for the future."

Albus blinked and clutched her closer. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" He coughed. "If you're worried about something…" Atria shook her head.

He pressed his lips together tightly. He wanted to press her, but knew that would get him nowhere. But he couldn't help himself from asking, "Is it about your parents?"

Atria stiffened. This was exactly the line of questioning she wanted to avoid. But now that it was here she couldn't lie to him. "Yes."

"I thought they were… gone." He said slowly.

Atria bit her lip. "Me too. But something's come up…"

"Do you think they're alive?"

"It's complicated and I can't say too much."

Albus groaned. "I wish you trusted me."

"I do! I've told you more than I've told anyone." She hissed and then looked around consciously. She lower her voice and said, "I know it doesn't seem like much, but you can't possibly know how much you mean to me."

"I want to know."

Atria looked around determinedly. She seemed to have found what she was looking for because her eyes narrowed. "Let's go." She grabbed him and tried to pull him off the dance floor. She managed to tug him a few steps before he stopped.

"Attie, what are you doing?"

She looked back at him and then crossed her arms. "There's your parents." She nodded to them where they were talking with some high Ministry officials.

"So…"

"So let's go tell them right now," She started to march off in their direction.

He quickly grabbed her and pulled her back. "Atria," He sighed and she fought against his hold. They got some weird looks, but the music had changed and everyone soon got caught up in dancing to the new beat.

"I want them to know," She struggled against his grip.

"Atria, we can't tell them yet." He was slightly amused at her antics.

She huffed, "Well, what do you want?"

He gripped her chin and forced her to look at him. "You." He said slowly. "I knew you were crazy before we started going out, so I can hardly complain about it now." She ducked her head to conceal a grin and he smiled, happy he achieved his goal. Albus dropped his hand from her face.

"If you need me to prove-"

"I don't." He said with finality. "Do you want to take a break?"

Atria nodded. "Yes, I'd like a drink." He took her elbow to escort her to one of the tables in the back of the room. A waitress came around with champagne glasses and Albus took two and handed one to Atria.

"Would you really have told my parents?" Albus took a sip.

Atria looked at him over the rim of her glass. "Yes, I would have. I know you're tired of hiding it and so am I." She took his hand under the table. "We should tell them. Soon."

"I agree. However, I really don't feel like dealing with it tonight. Also, we would have to explain our living arrangements to them. My mum will not be okay with that and we still have another week before we go back to school."

Atria laughed. "Alright." He leaned back into his chair. "I'm a bit nervous about how our friends will take it." Atria drained her glass.

"Me too. But let's not worry about them. Besides they look happy."

Scorpius and Rose were still dancing and Amanda and Jack were talking animatedly.

A while later Albus noticed James, leaning against the wall, ignoring an older woman who was trying to speak with him. And his eyes were trained on a certain brunette who was angry with him. James was watching Amanda and Jack like a hawk and his eyes narrowed when Jack touched Amanda's arm.

"Why has he been in such a bad mood?" Atria asked. She had probably seen Al looking at his brother.

"I think it's about a girl." Albus replied vaguely.

Atria looked at him with surprise. "Did you see the Prophet from a few weeks ago?"

"Not that girl."

"Which girl, then?"

Albus didn't respond. "I think we'll find out soon enough." He replied finally.

_BOOM_!

**A/N: Yay! Drama. Action. So exciting! Anyways, let me know what you think. - Alex**


	30. Pains and Heart Aches

A woman observed the party. A normal woman to an random bystander.

She quietly sipped on Champagne and waited for the proper time. Harry Potter was here. The Minister of Magic was here. It was the perfect time for a display of power. A perfect opportunity to show the wizarding world exactly how much reach the Death Eaters had and how little the Ministry could do to stop it.

"Another drink, madam?" The bartender asked.

She looked at him and smiled. She was tempted to change her hair from blonde to black, simply to scare the man. If he could see what she really looked like he would run for the hills. Furthermore, if he could see past her true appearance… well, that would be more devastating than scary. It was so tempting to drop the charade sometimes, but the Lestrange name came with connections that were needed to keep the Death Eaters in place.

"A firewhiskey please." She replied.

"Mrs. Tashine?" Someone called. She turned around and smiled brilliantly at the man.

"Oh, how lovely to see you again." She shook his hand firmly and never broke eye contact. Her face started to tingle and she looked at the bartender who was fixing her drink. She needed him to do that quickly.

"How are your children."

_Dead_. "They're great and George is doing excellent." She said.

"I'm so happy to hear that. You have a nice evening." He kissed her hand and then left. She had done her homework on this woman and she was an excellent liar.

The manipulation sent a thrill through her.

But her excitement soon dimmed when she saw Draco and Astoria Malfoy. Traitors. Her lips twisted into a sneer. It was unbelievable that their families were connected. Scorpius Malfoy joined them holding the hand of none other than Rose Weasley. And what did Draco do? Shake her hand. He shook the hand of a filthy halfbreed.

"You're firewhiskey."

She gave the bartender a brief smile, that may have come across as a grimace. She pulled a flask from her clutch poured some of the awful potion into the glass. Then she focused on slightly altering her appearance to that of Bertha Tashine.

Two other people joined the Malfoys and that Weasley bitch. One of the Potter boys, although it was difficult to tell which. And the girl in the red dress who had arrived with the Potters. She watched them all laugh at something Astoria said.

Then the girl glanced around the room, her face turning towards the woman.

The woman's eyes widened and she craned her neck, but the girl had already looked away. She bore a stunning resemblance to Bellatrix Lestrange. In fact, she looked like Draco as well. The same aristocratic bone structure and self important smirk.

The woman unconsciously moved towards the group determined to get a better look.

But there was nothing. She blinked and drove the crazy thoughts away. There were more important things to do than fantasize about Atria. It was only imagination… nothing more.

Tired of having to front a facade, the woman pulled out her wand subtly, positioning herself so that her wand was between the chiffon of her dress and the bar. The Ministry was full of small explosives and all she had to do was mutter a small incantation and the whole place would be up in flames.

_But if the girl is Atria_… Her thoughts betrayed her. It was impossible and she was not going to dwell on it. The woman moved away from the crowds and towards the fireplaces which were guarded by Aurors. She looked back at the group of traitors and thilth. Then she focused on the redhead bitch.

Rose Weasley could be very… useful.

"_Lotus incendi_o." She whispered.

Atria felt her head being lifted and she struggled against the hand that was holding her.

"Attie, lye still."

_Amanda_? Atria tried to work her mouth to make words, but her throat wasn't working. She coughed a few times, but breathing didn't seem to make it any better.

"Amanda!" James's voice cut through her efforts.

"James, help me. We need to get her to St. Mungo's with everyone else."

"My dad is apparating people. Let's get her to a fireplace."

Atria felt herself being lifted and her head got light.

"Are you hurt?"

"No," she heard Amanda reply. "Just some scratches."

"Good."

Atria coughed again. The air felt cleaner whenever they were going. She managed to squeak out some words. "What… what happened?" Her eyes squinted open for a moment, but all she saw was red and smoke.

"Explosions." James looked down at her.

She closed her eyes and let her head roll back. She listened to the pair speak.

"Where's Rose and Scorpius?" Amanda choked.

"I'm not sure. Everyone was sort of thrown back. And your date?" Even Atria heard the sarcasm in hid voice.

"James, now is not the time. And I'm not sure where he is. LOOK OUT!"

Suddenly Atria was sent tumbling to the floor. Her eyes popped open and she struggled to turn her head. She saw James trapped under a piece of the ceiling. Amanda whipped out her wand and levitated it off of him.

Smoke filled her lungs and the edges of her vision got fuzzy. Then she blacked out completely.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amanda looked at James. He was unconscious and lying in a hospital bed with his leg wrapped up. The worst part was, after everything that had happened this was considered a minor injury. He had burns on his legs and up his side from the falling ceiling panel and half of his leg was crushed but he was just lucky to be alive.

She had yet to see Mr. or Mrs. Potter. In fact, she hadn't seen anyone. Once she dropped Atria off in the Emergency Unit she had stayed with James, who had been unconscious since some Aurors had helped them escape from the Ministry.

A nurse looked at Amanda while she checked James's vitals.

"Would you like a chair, love?"

It took a few moments for Amanda to register that the woman was speaking with her.

"Oh, I can stand." Amanda shrugged. She took a step closer to the bed, but kept a safe distance. "Do you know when he'll wake up? I mean, he's not in a coma or something right?"

"No, just some pain potions that can make some people very drowsy." The nurse assured her. "Press the call button if you need anything." She said and then bustled out. Amanda watched the rise and fall of James's chest. The movement seemed shallow, but steady and unwavering.

She wasn't sure how long she watched him. But by the time she came out of her trance her feet were aching.

A croak came from the bed, "Amanda?" She rushed over to James's side. His eyes were unfocused and confused. "Am I… are we in St. Mungo's?"

"Yes. You sound terrible, let me get you some water." She went over to the little cart on wheels and poured him a plastic cup of water. When she came back to the back to the bed he sat up a little and tilted his head forward.

She held the cup to his lips and poured a sip of water into his mouth.

"Thanks."

"No problem." She stood awkwardly, holding the cup between her hands.

"Atria-"

"She's in the Emergency Unit. Some glass went into her and they had to go in and remove it all." She explained. James eased back into the bed.

"I'm glad you're alright."

Amanda looked down at him and they stared at each other for a moment.

"What's wrong with me?" He asked a moment later.

"A piece of scaffolding fell on you. You're left leg is crush, although that's easily repaired. The difficult thing was the burns covering half of your body. Some of the medication they needed to use would have interfered with the Skele Gro. I'm not really sure of the details, but you'll be alright in a few days."

"I'm going to be sore."

Amanda laughed, "Yes, I imagine you will be."

"I'm hungry. How long have I been unconscious?"

"About five hours."

"And everyone else?"

Amanda bit her lip and her throat burned. "I haven't seen anyone but Attie. But I think you're parents are here somewhere. Do you want me to track them down?" She started to leave but he grabbed her hand. "Don't make sudden movements!" She admonished him and went back to the bed.

"Just… stay for a little while."

Amanda sighed and looked around the tiny room. "Alright. But now that I know you're okay, I really should try to find Rose and Scorpius and everyone else."

"And John."

"His name is Jack." She glared at him, but her heart wasn't in it. "About what I said… a few days ago, when I told you we weren't friends."

James laughed dryly and then winced. "Are you going to say you forgive me? If you're only doing it because I'm half dead-"

"Don't be dramatic. And I was wrong to say that. But you were wrong as well."

"I know. And I'm sorry."

Amanda cleared her throat which was feeling very tight. "It's okay."

James was still holding her hand, she realized. But she wasn't going to pull away.

"I'm tired."

"A side effect of the pain killing potion."

He chuckled. "Is that why I can't feel anything? I feel like I'm floating… but, I… I can feel your hand. You're cold." He frowned and squeezed their linked hands.

"I know."

She hadn't thought about it until now, but she was still wearing her sleeveless dress in a cold hospital. And her dress was in tatters, exposing more skin the the chilled air. It hardly mattered, half the people in St. Mungo's were dressed as she was.

A shuffling noise pulled her out of her thoughts. James was sliding over on the bed.

"James, don't move-"

"Come here." He held the blankets up as best he could manage.

"James, you're hurt…"

"So come make me feel better."

Amanda snorted. "I should go find… everyone." James slowly lowered his arm.

"How many…" He grimaced in pain. "How many people are dead?"

"I don't have an exact number. But… a lot. At least ten, I think."

James closed his eyes, his mouth thinning into a grim line. "Merlin, how did this happen?" He whispered to no one.

Amanda tried to smile but it kept falling apart. She didn't want him to worry about her though, so she took a deep breath and headed for the door. "I'm going to see what's happening. I'll be back in a little while." She told him. "Don't do anything stupid." She looked at him and he smiled.

"No promises."

She sighed, but left the room smiling.

The hall was chaos. People were being wheeled around and transferred between units. Some people didn't have rooms, they were simply being treated in chairs or gurneys. She saw one of the nurses drape a sheet over someone, an arm hanging limp and cold off the moving bed.

Amanda kept her head down until she found someone with a chart who seemed to know slightly more than everyone else.

"Excuse me?" She looked hopefully at the young man.

"Are you looking for someone? Can I get a name?" He didn't even look up.

Amanda stumbled, "Um… I'm looking for Harry Potter… or any of the Weasleys… or Malfoys." She swallowed down the sourness that was rising in her throat.

The man looked up and Amanda jerked back. He had a long scar down his face that distorted his upper lip and cut through his right eyebrows. When she saw his angry face, she looked down and blushed, embarrassed for her reaction.

"Why?"

Okay, he wasn't about to do her any favors. "My friend is James Potter. He's in that room and I don't think his parents know where he is. And I want to know if my friends Scorpius Malfoy and Rose Weasley are okay." She added quickly. He gave her a long hard stare with black eyes.

Then he glanced at his chart. "If they're at St. Mungo's, they're not in my ward."

"Okay, thanks…" She turned away.

"But if you're looking for Healer Malfoy, he's most likely in the Intensive Care Ward." The man seemed to tell her this grudgingly.

Amanda smiled at him as kindly as she could. "Thank you so much."

He didn't respond or look at her. She backed away slowly until she was sure he wasn't looking at her. Of course he wasn't. She quickly asked a nurse which way the Intensive Care Ward was and the woman directed her up several floors to the East Wing.

Indeed that's where Mr. Malfoy was. He was in the process of trying to handle severe burn cases while being asked to advise on a head contusion.

He looked relieved when he saw Amanda. "I'm so happy to see you." He said as he worked a salve over one patient's neck. The woman jerked beneath him and started to seize up. Her lungs seemed to be frozen and she struggled to get air in.

"I NEED A SEDATIVE!" Amanda jumped. Mr. Malfoy's voice boomed through the halls and not a moment later a syringe appeared and was injected into the woman's arm. As the woman calmed down, Mr. Malfoy checked her other wounds.

"Where's Scorpius and Rose?" Amanda asked frantically.

Mr. Malfoy went around to other people while talking. "Scorpius is downstairs with his mother, but I haven't seen Ms. Weasley. Ms. Smith, Scorpius was badly injured." Amanda closed her eyes and pressed her lips together.

"But he's okay?" She asked desperately and he didn't respond. Amanda couldn't think straight. "And what about Mr. Potter," Amand searched for names, "or Lily or Mrs. Weasley-"

"I saw Ginny with Albus. I'm not sure which ward, but they were both alright save for a few cuts and bruises." He moved his wand over a child who was bleeding from his abdomen. "Ms. Smith, if you could hold this," He handed her a cloth, "to his wound while I heal internal bleeding in the cerebral cortex." Amanda automatically grabbed the cloth and put pressure on the wound, trying to cease the bleeding.

"We need Essence of Dittany." Amanda said urgently.

"Get some. There's a supply cabinet over there." He motioned across the hall. Amanda quickly ran to the door, dodging patients and nurses. It only took her a minute to find the right vile. She grabbed some bandages as well for good measure.

When she got back she peeled back the boy's dress shirt and unscrewed the bottle. She squeezed a few drops over the wound and it slowly started to heal. Then she got the bandages and taped them on.

"Next patient. Nurse, look after the boy." Mr. Malfoy moved to an elderly woman who Amanda had seen breaking up the dance floor. He looked her over and then began to treat severe burns on her shoulder and chest.

"I need to find Rose." Amanda said and he nodded vaguely.

"Thank you for the assistance."

Amanda flushed at the praise and then set off to find Rose. She debated going to Scorpius. If Rose was alright, Amanda knew she would be looking for Scorpius. But as luck would have it, she ran into Albus and Mrs. Potter on the way down to the general ward.

"Amanda!" Albus hugged her and then pulled back. "Where's Atria? I couldn't find her and she was right next to me but-"

"She's in the Emergency Unit but she's going to be fine. Just some burns and cuts, but nothing that can't be set right." Amanda assured him and then turned to his mother. "Mrs. Potter, James is on the second floor. He's badly injured but stable. You should go to him." Ginny took off running with a quickly look at her other son.

"Where's Rose and Scor?"

"Scorpius is with in mum in surgery. Something happened but I don't know what." Amanda said helplessly over the sound of crying and healers shouting.

"Where have you been for the last few hours?" Albus asked and he started for the elevator.

"With James and Atria. Then I saw Mr. Malfoy and he told me about Scor."

"He's not with Scorpius?"

"No, he's needed in the Intensive Care Ward."

"Lily is with my dad, but I don't know where they went."

They got off on the third floor and asked around for Scorpius.

"He's not here." Albus headed for the North Wing of the third floor.

"Mrs. Malfoy!" Amanda gasped and ran towards the crying woman that was standing in front of a clear glass window. Scorpius and a healer were on the other side and all Amanda could see was blood.

"He's going to be fine." Albus said determinedly, as if that would make it true.

Astoria smiled weakly. "I know. The healer said that biggest problem was a head wound, but I keep thinking… what if he doesn't wake up?" Her lip trembled and Amanda hugged the woman tightly. "But I'm mustn't think like that. My baby is strong." She looked through the glass.

"Is Rose here?" Albus asked.

Astoria shook her head. "No, but I did see her mother looking for her." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. They all stood there watching for… a long time. "He pushed her out of the way." Astoria whispered so quietly Amanda wasn't sure if she heard right.

"What?"

Mrs. Malfoy took a deep breath. "Scorpius, there was glass flying, and I didn't see until after, but he pushed her out of the way of a large piece and it sliced right through his chest."

Amanda didn't know what to say and Albus clearly didn't either.

Thankfully they were interrupted. "Albus!" Atria was dressed in a hospital gown and she looked damaged. There were bandages and wraps all over her body and her lip was bruised. She stood at the end of the hall.

Amanda was so relieved to see she was up and walking…

Make that running. She was barreling towards them despite the protests of several nurses. Amanda stepped back instinctively because it looked like Atria was going to run straight into them.

Instead she ran into Albus. Actually, it might be more accurate to say that she jumped into his arms, wrapped her legs around his waist, yanked his head to hers, and began snogging the life out of him.

And Albus didn't look the least bit surprised. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and held her up. One hand went around her back into her black hair and the other gripped her bottom. She tilted her head and Amanda was pretty sure she saw a tongue.

A minute later, Atria pulled back and Albus waited a moment and then set her down slowly, but wouldn't let go of her. After a moment, they seemed to remember they had an audience and looked at Amanda and Mrs. Malfoy.

"Um…" Atria's mouth opened and closed like a fish.

Amanda looked at Astoria, whose jaw was on the floor.

A second passed, where the rest of the world was silent around them.

"I knew it!" Amanda clapped her hands together. Albus looked affronted.

"You couldn't have." He scoffed.

"She may have hinted," Atria muttered to him.

"So you are together?" Amanda looked between the two of them. "You're not just… snogging, or shagging-" Mrs. Malfoy coughed loudly.

"No," Atria turned up her nose, "we've been going out since the beginning of October."

Amanda's eyes widened. "Wow."

"We were waiting for the right time to tell everyone…" Albus rubbed the back of his neck.

Amanda looked at the chaos around them. "Yes, brilliant timing."

Albus shot her a sarcastic look.

"You share a bathroom." Amanda mumbled. She had assumed, but not that it was a reality there were so many logistics that were really weird.

"This is the first time we've shared a bathroom while we've been dating." Albus argued.

"Your parents don't know?" Mrs. Malfoy gave them a pinning stare.

"Uh… not yet."

"Mrs. Malfoy," someone coughed. They hadn't even realized Scorpius's healer had come out of the room. Astoria clutched her hands together. "He's going to be alright. He might be unconscious for a day or two, but mostly that's from simple exhaustion and weakness. We're going to monitor him, but we're very optimistic." The healer smiled and Astoria let out a sigh of relief.

Amanda still couldn't take her eyes off of Attie and Al. They were leaning into each other, with his arm wrapped around her shoulder and her head leaning into the crook of his armpit. It wasn't as weird as it would have been six months ago. This year they had been surprisingly not hateful with each other and now Amanda knew why.

They had speculated about it, all of their friends, but everyone sort of assumed they had grown up. Rose had been insistent that they had realized that the fighting was pointless and they were only trying to enjoy their last year at Hogwarts without the ruckus.

Amanda smirked, they are enjoying something alright.

"Can I see him?"

The healer nodded at Mrs. Malfoy. "He's asleep but you can stay with him as long as you like. Shall I send a note to your husband?"

"I'll go," Amanda offered. "I know where he is."

Mrs. Malfoy nodded, "Yes, I think it would be better if the good news came from a friend."

Atria pulled away from Albus to come closer to Amanda. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No," She shook her head, "you should try to find Rose."

Atria nodded and Albus came up behind her, stroking her forehead.

"Please, just because I know, doesn't mean I want it thrusted into my face every two seconds," Amanda smirked and walked away with a small smile on her face. The went back to the main hall where the elevator was and prepared to go back up to see Mr. Malfoy. She waited a moment for the elevator to come.

It was weird to see them acting like a couple. She knew something was going on, but maybe they were just snogging? No, they were a couple. And seeing them like that, how Atria ran to Albus and she didn't see anything else around, made her realize that as soon as she saw Jack she was going to tell him they couldn't go out anymore.

Amanda wanted what Atria and Albus had.

_You know where to find that_, her inner voice sang.

She got off the elevator and asked one of the nurses wear Healer Malfoy was.

"In room three twenty-six, I believe."

Amanda knocked on the door before entering. Mr. Malfoy was currently levitating an organ out of someone's body.

"Ms. Smith," He acknowledged and then took a pair of tweezers and pulled something off of the bloody organ. Once he finished with those ministrations he carefully placed the organ back into the man.

"Scorpius is going to be alright. The healer said that it the head wound that's the biggest issue and he's still unconscious, but they're very optimistic about a quick recovery."

The tension in Mr. Malfoy eased slightly as he continued to pull shards of something out of this patient. "I think you walked off with the bottle of Dittany?" Mr. Malfoy looked at her.

Amanda looked at her hands and sure enough the bottle was still there.

"Sorry, I didn't realize…"

"That's okay. I believe I had all of the wood out of this man, so we need some drops of that if you don't mind." He went over to write something on the chart and she waited to give him the bottle. "You can do it, I think." He said without looking up.

Amanda jerked in surprise. "Oh, okay." She went over to the man and began dropping Essence of Dittany over his wounds. "Is this allowed?" She wondered absently.

Mr. Malfoy chuckled, "Technically no, but there's too many patients to worry about protocol. Healers are needed for the most serious injuries after that we have to outsource the minor jobs."

Amanda finished with the drops and then placed a bandage over the wounds.

Mr. Malfoy left the room and began speaking to one of the nurses. Amanda looked around and there were more bodies under sheets, families crying, and healers trying to save patients. Even hours later, new victims were still being found.

Amanda went to go check on James. The elevator was full of people with minor injuries and a few exited with Amanda on the second floor. She went to James's room immediately and stood in front of the small glass window. His mother was there sitting on the edge of the bed, running her hands through his hair gently.

His eyes were closed but his mouth was moving. His mouth turned up into a smile a moment later and his eyes opened. Amanda smiled at the picture.

"Looking after your boyfriend?"

Amanda's head jerked to the right. It was the healer who she had insulted before by staring at his scar. She scowled at him.

"No, he's my friend's brother."

He gave her a grimace, or it might have been a smile, with the scar distorting his upper lip she couldn't be sure. She hadn't paid attention before, but now she realized he was quite young to be a healer. Amanda was sure the first, and often times only, thing people saw was the horrific scar curving on his face, and you assume a person who's gone through something that terrible is older.

But looking closer, there were no age lines on his face, his brown hair was thick and wavy with no grey streaks, and although his mouth was drawn into a scowl, there were no wrinkles along the sides of it.

There were no wrinkles around his black eyes either. Originally, she would have thought he was at least thirty years old but now...

"You're staring." He drawled in a deep voice. Amanda blinked and refocused.

"How old are you?" She blurted and he looked startled and unpleased with the question.

He growled, "What does that matter?"

"Well, I realized you couldn't possibly be as old as I imagined, so I was wondering how old you actually are." She said and then frowned. "I don't see why you're so defensive."

"I don't see why you care."

"I don't." She snapped. He stared down at her.

His upper lips twisted into a sneer. "So walk away."

"I was here first." She folded her arms impertantly.

His mouth opened threatening, but he was cut off, "Amanda!"

She released a breath.

The healer smirked at her, "Another boyfriend?" Amanda glared at him and looked at Jack who was almost to them.

"Jack, I'm happy you're alright." She looked at the scarred man but he was already turning away.

"Who was that?" Jack whispered.

Amanda shook her head, "I don't know, but he doesn't like me."

"That's silly, who wouldn't like you?" He gave her a boyish grin and her gut churned.

"Look, Jack tonight was amazing…"

"Our dates have got to stop ending like this." He teased but it didn't reach his eyes.

Amanda sighed, "I don't think there should be anymore dates. I like you, I do, but there's just no… spark." She was grasping at straws and feeling a whole lot of guilt. Jack looked at her with his bigs and frowned.

Then he sighed, "Can I ask one favour?"

Amanda nodded, "Anything."

"Can I kiss you? You say there's no spark but we haven't even kissed. I just want to be sure."

Amanda's eyes widened, "Oh, well…"

"You don't want to." He looked so dejected.

"Why haven't you kissed me before?" Amanda asked suddenly.

Jack looked startled, "Well, I suppose I wasn't thinking about it. I want to though!"

Amanda laughed quietly. "Jack, neither of us was thinking about kissing or even being romantic. You're fun and I enjoy spending time with you, but I don't think there's any connection. We both deserve someone who desperately wants to be with us." When she was finished she took a deep breath.

Jack looked at the floor and then smiled smally. "I suppose you're right." He didn't look entirely convinced though. Amanda leaned her head back and stepped closer to him. She pressed her lips softly against his and then pulled back.

He blinked. "You're right, no spark."

Amanda laughed. "You should go be with your family."

Jack nodded absently. "Thanks for an amazing few weeks." He said and then walked away. She didn't even notice Mrs. Potter standing in the doorway until a moment later.

"He wants to see you." She smiled kindly, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Amanda nodded but couldn't speak.

"We should get you out of that dress." Mrs. Potter said, looking her up and down. Amanda choked out a laugh.

"Probably." She went over to James. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired, but better. I think the pain potion is wearing off, so I'm starting to get sore, but I can feel my legs again so that's good." He joked.

"I'll get you a chair," Mrs. Potter said from the doorway and then she disappeared.

James looked up at her. "You really do need some new clothes."

Amanda smiled, "I've been a bit busy."

"Did you find everyone?"

"I found Albus and Atria and Scor. I sent your mum up here and I helped Mr. Malfoy in the Intensive Care Ward." She shrugged.

"No Rose or Lily?"

"Lily's with your dad I think. Maybe Rose is with Hugo and her parents?" She suggested, but didn't know for sure. James nodded and closed his eyes.

He looked so peaceful, she wasn't sure if he was just resting or if he was asleep. She thought about her conversation with Jack. She did deserve someone who looked at her like she was the best thing in the world. But maybe she was getting ahead of herself? She was only seventeen and she wanted to find the love of her life?

Although, finding someone who really wanted you didn't mean that person was the love of your life. But somehow she couldn't think of just dating around, even if she was attracted to someone. Which at this point seemed impossible.

Amanda rubbed her temples. "I'm becoming asexual." She mumbled.

"What?"

Amanda was pulled out of her idiotic thoughts.

"So what were you saying to Jared?"

"His name is Jack." Amanda reprimanded, but her heart wasn't in it. She focused on his hands, because if she looked at his face she would be reminded that she was definitely not becoming asexual.

"You kissed him." James said dully. His face was impassive and his eyes were still closed.

"You saw?" Amanda blushed. "It wasn't my idea," She muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I told him that I didn't think we were right for each other and he said that we should kiss just to make sure. I told him that we both deserve people who really want us." She explained and looked at her hands. "But maybe I was being stupid."

He jerked up and then groaned.

"No-"

"James, careful! You're injured-"

"You absolutely did not make the wrong decision." He finished and her heart lurched. She couldn't allow herself to think that he was being jealous.

Amanda sighed, "I know. But he was the first boyfriend I've had in awhile. And my previous boyfriend was a child's crush, not an actual relationship. I think I should just… not date."

James ruffled his hair and then looked at her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Amanda blinked. "Like what?"

"Smirking."

She laughed and shook her head. "You always do that with your hair."

"You yelled at me once for doing it."

"I remember. It's can be very annoying, but now… well, it's a bit endearing isn't it?" She laughed with a tinge of embarrassment.

"It's a habit."

"I know. And you do have nice hair, which is why you do it I think. You want people, well girls to look at it."

James looked surprised. "I never really thought about it."

Mrs. Potter knocked on the door and she was carrying and foldable chair. "Here you go, darling. You look like you're about to fall over." She unfolded the chair and set it next to the bed. "Have you spoken with your parents?"

Amanda froze as she was about to collapse in the chair.

"Crap, I knew I was forgetting something. I need to send them an owl." As she heaved out of the chair, Ginny put a hand on her arm.

"Why don't you let me explain the situation? I think you should sit down. You're about to fall over."

Amanda bit her lip. "Thank you. That would be great. I didn't realize how tired I am." She collapsed in the chair.

Mrs. Potter looked at her son. "I'll be back in a little while. We need to get things organized and take count of everyone from the ball." She left a moment later.

James coughed, "It does not feel like Christmas."

Amanda smiled weakly and closed her eyes. "My parents are never going to let me leave the house again." James barked out a laugh.

"You do not have a good track record, that's for sure."

"But this time it was everyone, not just me." She pushed some hair out of her face. "I suppose that's not really a good thing. Frankly, I got off easy." She took a deep breath to stop her rambling.

"I'm hungry."

Amanda laughed. "Of course, you are." She stood up slowly, testing her muscles. "I'll go get some food. I'm not sure how much I'll be able to scrounge up, but…"

"You look exhausted, maybe you should just call for a nurse?" James suggested.

Amanda shook her head. "They're busy, but it's fine. I'll be right back."

He didn't say anything as she left. She was relieved to get a breath of air, away from James and away from her feelings.

The hall was filled with people who seemed to have the same feelings as her. Wizards leaning against the walls, collapsed in chairs, and trying to get a moment of peace.

Amanda saw Ginny and she started towards her. Maybe Ginny would know where to get food…

Amanda stopped when she saw Hermione Weasley clutching her chest, tears running down her face. Mrs. Potter's shoulders were shaking and so was the hand the gripped Mrs. Weasley's shoulder. Hermione was sobbing, but there was no noise coming from her.

She stumbled forward, collapsing against Ginny, and Amanda unconsciously stepped forward, as if she could catch the falling woman. Tears blurred Amanda's vision but she marched towards the two women. Her breathing became shallow and her insides felt like they were consuming themselves.

Hermione saw her approach, and she straightened herself.

"Amanda…"

"Where's Rose?" She choked out the demand. No one answered. "Where is she? I need to see her." Panic clawed at her chest and she already knew what the answer was. But she needed to hear it from adults.

"We don't know. She's missing."

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**I feel so evil right now. - Alex**

**P.S. I updating so quickly because of amazing reviews!**


	31. The Worst Kind of Torture

The bottom of her feet felt like they were being shredded. Her high heels had been disposed of some time ago, and the rocky path the woman was leading her down was digging into her soles.

Her head pounded to the point of blurry vision, not that she could see anything in the darkness anyways, and when she stumbled on an unstable stone she didn't have the sense or balance to keep herself upright. She caught herself before her face hit the ground, but her hands were now bloody as well.

"Get up," The woman jerked her arm, but Rose just tumbled to the side.

She wasn't going to live.

"How have you passed for a normal witch all these years?" Rose mumbled and the woman laughed haughtily. Rose had seen her at Ministry functions before and Rose wondered how she had infiltrated the Ministry. There were so many questions running through her mind. Who was the other woman who had escaped from Azkaban?

"Mmm… I'm tempted to tell you. If nothing else so you could see how idiotic the Ministry is." She yanked Rose off the ground.

"Are you going to kill me?" She croaked.

There was a pause and then the woman muttered something and brightness erupted around them. Rose shrank away from the light, trying to adjust her eyes to the sudden brightness. When she looked around, she realized they weren't walking outside along a path…

"We're in a dungeon," She whispered, horrified.

The woman cackled. "I am going to kill you. But not yet."

Rose stopped breathing and then she lunged at the woman, prepared to fight. But just when she was about to make impact, the woman apparated and disappeared.

She fell onto the ground and once again her hands and arms took the brute of her fall.

It took everything Rose had not to burst into tears. Instead, she started hyperventilating.

Her fingers and face started to tingle from lack of oxygen.

Rose closed her eyes and tried to take deep breaths. After a few minutes she opened her eyes. She was sitting in a dungeon. A rather big dungeon as it were. There were pillars with torches lining them. There were rows upon rows and Rose couldn't even see where this place ended.

The only thing that saved her from totally having a fit was the fact that she knew her family, and friends, would be coming for her. She thought about Scorpius and she knew he would be searching for her.

"No…"

Rose remembered the flying glass and how he had pushed her out of the way. She hadn't seen what happened to him and the more she thought about the worse her breathing became.

"Shut up." She whispered to herself. She couldn't think like that, not if she wanted to make it out of this place with her sanity in tact.

Scorpius would come for her. There was nothing in the world that could stop him, short of death.

* * *

Atria looked at Scorpius's still body. It wasn't the first time he had lain unconscious in a hospital bed and it probably wouldn't be the last. It wasn't even his first time being slashed open within the month. And both times had been because of Death Eater attacks.

It was probably a bad idea to jump Albus in front of Amanda, Mrs. Malfoy, and everyone else on the third floor of the hospital. But all she could think of was that it might be the last time she ever got to kiss him. And she wanted to make it count.

_This is it. _She knew it will all her heart that all of her secrets were going to come out within the next few days. There was nothing linking her to the attack, nothing linking her to her mother, but somehow she knew… without a doubt.

"Attie, dear you should go lie down," Astoria rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. Atria shook her head. She wanted to be there when Scorpius woke up. She wanted to see him smile and laugh one last time before everything fell apart.

A shadow appeared in the door and both women looked.

Astoria sighed, "Draco." She got up and went to her husband, who took her in his arms. But he was looking at Atria and Scorpius with an unwavering expression of forced passiveness. He was stiff and unmoving as he entered the room.

Draco opened his mouth several times, but said nothing. He was rubbing his thumb and his pointer finger together nervously.

"Draco, what's the matter? The healer said Scorpius would be fine in a few days." Astoria whispered adamantly as if she was daring him to say otherwise.

Draco gave a jerky nod. "I know. It's not about Scorpius." Atria frowned as he looked at Scorpius with pity. "Ms. Williams, if I could speak with you outside?" Her heart dropped. Did he know something… "It's about Ms. Weasley." Draco said stiffly.

Atria looked at Scorpius. "What about Rose?" Scorpius's head turned to the side, as if he recognized Rose's name. Astoria rushed over to the bed and gripped her son's hand. His head turned again and his lips parted.

"Scorpius can you hear me?" Astoria asked, clearly choking down tears.

Draco stood over his son, staring, waiting for something to happen.

"What about Rose?" Atria pressed Draco. Scorpius's jerked and Astoria leaned down to caress his forehead. Draco's head dropped and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Scorpius's eyes flipped open suddenly. Astoria gasped and gripped his hand.

"What about Rose?" Scorpius croaked.

Draco looked at his wife. "You shouldn't worry about that-"

"What happened to her? I thought I got in front of her-" He gasped as he tried to sit up and Astoria admonished him and helped him ease back.

"You did, darling." Astoria smiled. "You were so brave."

Some tension eased out of Scorpius's body, but he was still looking at his father. "I want to see her, I have to tell her something-"

"She's gone."

Atria's eyes flared. Scorpius looked uncomprehending for a moment and then he jacked up in bed. He grimaced in pain, but he didn't seem to care that he could be ripping open his wound.

"What do you mean?" Atria seethed.

"She can't be gone!" Scorpius exploded a moment later.

"Scorpius," Atria tried to get him to lye down, but he shrugged away from her.

"She's missing." Draco stated. "No one has seen her since you pushed her down. We've checked through the hospital charts and while doing a head count, we realized she hasn't been seen."

Scorpius shook his head wildly. "That's not possible! That's not fucking possible!" Scorpius shouted and Astoria jumped.

"Language!"

"Mother, I don't give a shit if you don't like what I'm saying! I need to get out of here-"

Draco stopped his son from jumping out of bed. "Scorpius Malfoy, you are going to lay down and treat your mother with respect." He said in a deadly quiet voice.

Atria swallowed, "How did this happen?"

Scorpius and Draco glared each other down for a few moments and no one said anything. Finally Draco released a long breath.

"I found out five minutes ago, but I believe the theory is that the Death Eaters had someone on the inside. I found out because the Head of the Department of Law Enforcement wants to question me. Potter gave me a heads up."

Astoria gasped and gripped his arm. "They can't think you had anything to do with this?" Scorpius looked guiltily at his father. "You've been helping people-"

"They need to explore every possibility." Draco shook his head and Atria scoffed.

"You've been here for hours, helping victims! Why would you stick around?" It was completely ridiculous. But then who did take Rose, if she had in fact been kidnapped? "And why wouldn't they bring you in before?"

"They didn't suspect me until they realized that someone must have been there. At first, Aurors assumed it was all done remotely, but when Ms. Weasley-"

"Her name is Rose!" Scorpius snapped.

Draco looked like he wanted to reprimand Scorpius, but then thought better of it. "When Rose was discovered missing, they concluded that at least one person had to be at the Ministry."

"How could this have happened? Aurors were monitoring the Floo's and there were no other entrances." Atria bit her lip in deep thought. Her mother had to be behind this, but Atria couldn't figure out how she would have pulled this off. "Polyjuice potion?" Atria wondered.

Draco shook his head, "There were spells against that…"

"I need to help," Scorpius tried to get up again but this time Atria help him down.

"Scorpius, you need to heal. There's nothing you can do in your state." She sighed and waited for the blow up.

She wasn't disappointed. "How can you say that?" He yelled. "Rose is missing, and you expect me to lay in bed?" His cheeks flushed and his grey eyes turned dark.

"Scorpius," Atria gripped his hand firmly. "You can help Rose. But just stay here while we gather all the facts. You need another day in bed and then you can help as much as you want." Her eyes pleaded with him. "Rose wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." She said firmly and Scorpius finally paused.

He took some shallow breathes and the laid back. "If you find anything…"

"We'll tell you." Draco said automatically.

"You have to find her." His voice cracked.

* * *

Rose looked at her hands. She had to do something about the bleeding and the stinging. She looked at her dress, the beautiful while not tarnished with dirty and the ruffled in tatters.

She let out a quick huff and then ripped some chiffon off of her dress. Her lower lip trembled as she remembered how much fun it had been dancing with Scorpius and feeling the skirt of her dress float around her.

She wrapped the piece of fabric around her left hand and used her teeth to tie a knot. Then she worked on her right hand and did the same. Blood stained the white and Rose leaned back against one of the stone pillars. Light flickered above her from the torch.

She tucked her knees against her chest and thought about many things. But the one thing she kept coming back to was Scorpius. More than anything, she wished he was here. It was selfish to wish something so horrible on him, but she needed his strength more than anything in the world right now.

Then she thought about her parents and how they must be terrified.

And about how many people had died in that explosion. Did they realize that it was a Ministry worker who did it? Were they looking for her?

"Of course they are."

Rose jumped and saw… a woman, but not the woman, standing there. This was her… the one who had broken out of Azkaban. Rose went to stand up, but the woman _tsked_.

"No, no, you wouldn't want to bloody your feet even more."

Rose's eyes strained to get a better view of the woman, but all she could tell was that this woman had dark hair and a boney figure.

"Where is she?" Rose's voice sounded gravelly.

"Mrs. Tashine?" This woman's voice was dry and empty.

"Why did she take me?"

The woman laughed and stepped out of the shadows. Rose's breath caught.

"You look like-"

"Bellatrix Lestrange. I know." She smiled, or smirked actually. Then her face changed and she became… the Tashine woman. Her dark wild hair became silky and blonde, and her face was fuller. "And now?"

Rose's breath choked in her throat. "That's how you did it?"

She changed back. "It's a very complicated story. I doubt you could follow." Even though she looked like Bellatrix Lestrange the woman seemed less terrifying than before. In fact, she looked like she was playing a game.

"Why did you take me?" Rose breathed.

The woman took a few steps towards Rose. "Well, I could tell you it's because you're the daughter of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Or because you're Harry Potter's niece. Or because taking any girl would be excellent for leverage." She prattled on or then her smile turned devilish as she stalked forward. "And all of that is true, but honestly… I was bored. You see, I have to go around pretending and I thought it might be nice to have a toy." When she stopped in front of Rose, she leaned down.

Rose flinched away when a thin hand stretched out and raked a nail down her cheek slowly. There was something sexual about the way this woman spoke and Rose's body started shaking.

"Where are we?" Rose choked out.

The woman stood up. "A special place. It's just you and I here."

"Then why do I have to be kept in the dungeon?"

A deep laugh came from the woman. "Well, you're still a filthy half breed."

Rose couldn't stop the gasp that came from her.

"But let's talk about your survival chances. You see, if you don't listen to every word I say, I'll get very upset. On the other hand, subservience is boring." Her tone was teasing.

Rose took a deep breath, "Can you tell me who are you?"

She laughed, "I'll leave you to figure that out."

Rose bit her lip and prayed this wasn't going to get her killed. "You look like Bellatrix Lestrange." The woman teetered around and waved a hand signaling for Rose to continue. "But Bellatrix didn't have any children."

_Tsk, tsk. _Rose looked up. "She did?"

"Yes, it was a very well kept secret. Before Azkaban she had one daughter."

Rose's eyes widened. "And you're a metamorphmagus?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange had a daughter. And that daughter had a daughter."

Rose's head jerked up. "What?"

"Yes, unbelievably. You know, I spent years preparing my daughter to become an excellent witch. She was my pride and joy, so gifted and talented, my little princess."

"What's her name?" Rose's lower lip trembled.

_Please, no. Dear Merlin, no. _

But when the woman's teasing smile turned to a sneer Rose knew. "So it was her. The girl in the red dress with the red hair. Odd, red was never her colour." The woman's words were teasing, but the tone sounded… betrayed.

Rose's stomach turned and she squeezed her eyes shut, unwilling to believe the truth.

But she had to find out more. "So the Lestrange line is still alive."

And just like that the woman's teasing demeanor was back. "Sort of. Bellatrix Lestrange married into the family and so she is a Lestrange, giving her descendants the name of Lestrange, but technically… the child wasn't Rodolphus Lestrange's." Rose looked up sharply.

"Then who…"

"Well, let's think about that." She ran her tongue of her teeth. "Who did Bellatrix Lestrange love more than anything? Who did she die for? Who did she go to Azkaban for? Who is the one person she would have done anything for?"

Tears slipped out of Rose and she shook her head. "You're lying! You have to be lying! Atria-" In a flash, the woman was in front of her.

_SMACK!_ Rose's head snapped back from the impact and her head cracked against the stone pillar.

Her body slid until she was completely on the floor with the crazy woman standing over her. Tears continued to fall down her cheeks, but she wasn't even crying really. Her body was completely still and her mind was fuzzy.

The woman raised her hand threatening. "You are not fit to speak her name! It sickens me that she lower herself to your standards! Friends with a mudblood and speaking with the man who murdered her grandfather!" She looked at her raised hand and sneered. "Muggles are disgusting… but I must admit their form of torture is rather satisfying. The _Cruciatus _curse is fun to be sure, but there's nothing like putting your hands on someone and feeling their sanity and their life leave their body."

Rose's vision started to go black and she clawed for consciousness. _Please, please don't…_ She didn't want her life in the hands of this woman. She wanted to fight, but her body wasn't having any of it. Her first thought was of Scorpius, her next was of Atria. Rose didn't want to die without seeing both of them. She needed to tell Atria... her consciousness started fading...

"That's right, baby…" Rose heard the words in the distance. "I'll tell you the rest of the story later. Assuming you don't die from bleeding in the brain."

**So this chapter is shorter than the last few have been but I couldn't give it all away in one chapter! - Alex**


	32. Plans and Truths

Mr. Alvarez, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was looking for Tony and Harry Potter. Those were the two people he trusted most to solve this mystery. He was tired and his bones ached.

There had been too much death in these past few months. He had failed in his duty to protect the wizarding world. But before he handed in his resignation, this crisis needed to end. He found Harry with Ron Weasley. They were tucked in a corner on the sixth floor, West Wing.

Mr. Alvarez frowned as he approached, realizing that Harry was comforting a distraught Ron. When they both saw him coming, Ron straightened and nodded at the Head of the Department of Defense.

"Alvarez," Ron gave him a jerky head nod.

"Has something happened?"

Ron's face crumbled and he simply shook his head.

Harry answered in a dead voice, "Rose is missing. We think she was taken."

Mr. Alvarez didn't know what to say. "I heard that we suspected there was a Death Eater undercover... "

"We're operating under the assumption that they took her for ransom." Harry said. Alvarez nodded, thinking that made sense.

"We need to give them anything they want…" Ron's whole body shook.

Harry and Alvarez shared a look. "Ron…" Harry sighed. "We're going to get Rose back but we need to do it the right way. We will find her, but we can't give into terrorist demands."

Ron glared at his best friend and then jerked away. "I need to speak with Hermione."

"I'm right here." Hermione was walking towards them.

"Hermione…" They collapsed into each other's arm, sobbing.

Finally, Hermione pulled away and quickly wiped away her tears. "We need to tell the others. Ginny knows and so does Amanda, but we have to tell everyone else."

"I can't," Ron's voice cracked. "I can't say it outloud."

Harry nodded.

"There's something you need to know," Alvarez said in a steady voice. He and Tony had wanted to gather more intel before alerting the Aurors, but that was a mistake.

"What?"

"A few weeks ago a low level paper pusher came to me with a lead."

The Golden Trio looked at him questioningly.

Alvarez continued, "He told us that someone entered the Lestrange vault. Someone has been entering the Lestrange vault for years and even after we arrested all those Death Eaters, there was a girl still going to the vault."

"What?" Hermione choked out. "How is that possible?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange had a daughter we think. Goblins remember seeing a woman and a girl. We think they are both descendants of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange." He finished slowly and watched the three war heroes take in that piece of information.

Hermione collapsed in a heap on the floor, sobbing silently into her hand. Ron followed her down a moment later. Hermione shook her head, gripping her forearm. Alvarez frowned when Hermione started to take her satin gloves off. Alvarez had forgotten that they were all still in formal attire. It hard to believe that six hours ago they had been dancing and making merry.

When her gloved her off, Hermione looked down at her forearm. Alvarez could make out a faint scar.

"Look at what Bellatrix did to me." She whispered.

Alvarez looked at the scar and his chest tightened.

_Mudblood_.

Hermione hissed out a breath, "And now my baby is with that monster's daughter." She gave Alvarez a pinning glare and he understood why this woman was a war he hero. He understood how she survived the second coming of Voldemort and the torture of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Mione, we're going to find her." Ron said determinedly.

Harry knelt down. "He's right, we're going to find Rose. There might even be a silver lining to this. Rose is a smart girl and a brilliant witch. She'll know that we're looking for her and she might be able to lead us directly to the leader of the Death Eaters."

Hermione nodded, "You're right." She eased off the floor. "We need to change out of these clothes. And then we need a plan."

"We need to tell the children."

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Atria looked at their connected hands and then smiled at Albus. She had to tell him about Rose, but she needed to see him smile one last time. Scorpius was enough to deal with, but she wasn't looking forward to dealing with all of the defensive people in Rose's family.

Albus's eyes narrowed on something behind her. "Hey, there's my parents." He pulled his hands free of hers. Logically, she knew this wasn't the time to tell his parents that they weren't together, but she didn't want to let go of him.

Albus was smiling until he saw his parent and the Weasleys' faces. "What's wrong?"

Atria stepped back and looked at Albus's parents and Rose's parents. All of them were wearing normal clothes again, their dress clothes discarded. They saw on her face that she knew.

Ginny looked at Atria. "Did Malfoy tell you?"

Atria nodded mutely.

"Tell her what?" Albus growled and everyone looked at him. When no one said anything he shout, "What are you hiding?" Atria jumped.

Hermione lifted her chin proudly, "Rose is missing, most likely taken by Death Eaters?"

"What?" Albus seethed and then turned to Atria, "And you knew? Why didn't you tell me?"

Atria grasped desperately for words. "I didn't know how."

"How could this have happened?"

"We're still trying to figure that out." Ron growled. "But we have a lead." Atria knew he was trying to sound more confident than he was.

But what lead did they have? Atria's throat constricted.

"Well, what is it?" Albus demanded.

Hermione shook her head, as if she couldn't say it.

_Shit, they know. _

Harry cleared his throat, "Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter. We think that's who is leading this new group of Death Eaters." Albus's unfocused eyes looked around in rage and his chest pumped with heavy breathes. "And there's a girl as well." Atria stopped breathing.

Thankfully, no one was looking at her.

"I don't understand! How could you not know this?" Albus shouted. "You put this woman in Azkaban, isn't there a system for keeping track of these people are."

"We only have the information that they gave us or we were able to dig up. There is no record of this woman or her daughter, but knowing who they are is a step in the right direction." Ginny reached out to Albus, but he pulled away.

Atria's heart pounded in her ears. If anything happened to Rose…

_No. Nothing is going to happen. _

"How could a Death Eater have just walked into the Ministry?" Albus asked. "There's was supposed to be security."

"There was." Ron shook his head.

Atria frowned. "And floo was the only way in?" How had they done it? Was it her mother who took Rose? Atria was sure she would have recognized her mother. Azkaban couldn't have changed her that much.

"Yes," Hermione nodded.

Then how was it possible? Atria was sure she would have recognized someone knew or different… she would have realized if something was out of place. _I_ n_eed to say something. Hermione needs to know that my mum wouldn't… _

_Wouldn't do what?_ Atria cursed herself. She knew what her mother was capable of, but this woman wasn't her mother anymore. The woman who had told her it was okay to fail… she was gone. She had been gone since her father's death.

_Your mother_, Atria thought scathingly, _has killed dozens of people. She has orchestrated the attacks on Hogsmeade, The Ministry, several muggle villages… She is not your mother._

But she still felt the need to say something. Atria racked her brain, trying to think of why her mum would have taken Rose. It just didn't make sense. She vaguely heard Albus asking the same thing in the background.

She only heard part of Harry's response, "... for leverage or as an insurance policy."

Atria frowned. Leverage for what? Her mother had to know that the Death Eaters would never stop looking for her and her merry band of psychos. Her mother had no real use for Rose, unless she wanted a plaything for her followers.

"We should go talk to Scorpius." Atria looked at Albus and Harry seemed relieved that she was getting an unreasonable Al off his plate. "He was really upset when Draco told him."

Albus's nostrils flared and then he nodded. "Wait, he's awake?"

Atria nodded. "He heard us talking about Rose and he was furious when we wouldn't let him go after her."

Ron scoffed. "He shouldn't even be conscious, what was he going to do?"

Ginny smacked her brother, "He only wanted to help." Ron glared at her and then rubbed his arm. Hermione looked like she wanted to smile but couldn't. Atria grabbed Albus's arm and pulled him away.

He was huffing the whole way to Scorpius's room. Amanda and James were already there. James was leaning back in a chair and Amanda was fussing over him.

"You shouldn't even be out of bed, just let me…" She was kneeling in front of his trying to fix the wrap on his leg.

Scorpius looked up when Atria and Albus came in. His face was hard and he gave James and Amanda a dirty look when she both chuckled at something.

"Why are you laughing?" He barked and they both sobered immediately, looking ashamed. Then he focused on Albus and Attie. "What did your parents say?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter took her." Albus said before Atria could say something a bit more delicate. Scorpius's reaction was as expected.

"WHAT? How could this have happened? Why weren't we told that Bellatrix had a daughter? What the hell are these people doing?" He shouted and Atria cringed.

"My dad just found out from the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Albus said grimly. Atria's eyes widened. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement knew about her? Atria must have missed when Harry said that.

"So that's who has Rose?" Scorpius whispered.

No one said anything. Atria wanted to tell them that it would be okay, but she couldn't.

"We're going to find her."

Everyone looked at Amanda doubtfully. She nodded firmly and stood up. "Scorpius, you're the smartest wizard in our year, Atria you are the most talented, and Albus and James are kickass duelers. We need to come up with a plan."

Albus sighed, "That's what our parents are doing."

"We have been at the center of all these attacks." Amanda balled her fists and Atria had to admit she felt inspired by how determines Amanda looked. "We have been there every single time and we have experience. We only need to think. There has to be something missing. There has to be a clue." She muttered and began to pace.

Atria bit her lip and thought. She knew more than they did and even still, she was useless. There was no clue, no missing link that she could see.

"Think, think!" Amanda rubbed her temples. "Why attack Hogsmeade?" She blurted.

"What?" Scorpius frowned.

Amanda spun around to face him. "Why attack Hogsmeade? Diagon Alley is more central to the wizarding world."

Atria breathed, "All the students were there."

"Yes, and graduation last year?"

"You think they took Rose because she's a student?" James asked in disbelief. "They had plenty of opportunities to take students. Hell, they could have taken you last June." He said to Amanda and she groaned.

"None of this makes any sense." Amanda snapped and she rubbed her eyes. "Wait!" Her eyes flew open. "Salvatore! We totally forgot about him!"

Scorpius growled, "You think he's a part of this?"

"Yes," Atria nodded. "And he was interested in Rose."

"But if he's a Death Eater, why would he want Rose? She's a halfblood?" James shook his head. "None of this makes sense."

"But Sal wasn't at the Ministry," Amanda said helplessly. They were silent for a few minutes. Atria couldn't figure out the plan here. She mindlessly played with a strand of her blue hair.

"We're thinking about this wrong." Scorpius said. "It doesn't matter how the Lestrange bitch got in." Atria winced. "We just need to figure out where she would go. It would have to be some place secluded…" Atria gasped.

Her mother's frozen painting. When she was at the house, there was no one there, but that didn't mean her mum wouldn't go there. And they had a dungeon.

"Attie, did you think of some place?" Albus asked urgently.

She looked at Albus with an open mouth, not sure what to say. She looked down.

_Blue_. Her hair was blue. She was a metamorphmagus.

"Holy shit," Atria whispered. _I get that from my mother's side!_

"Attie, say something!" Scorpius shouted, but she was halfway out the door.

She didn't really process her actions, she could only think of Rose and she knew that she needed to find Harry Potter and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. That pit in her stomach, that she had been carrying around for the past year, finally disappeared.

Atria wasn't scared or worried. No, she was determined to save her friend.

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When Rose heard creaking metal, she hid behind her pillar. It was odd how she had come to think of a pillar in a dirty dungeon as hers, but this pillar had saved her life, taken away the pain, and kept her upright.

"Come out, come out wherever you are," Lestrange sang. Rose took deep breaths through her nose, so she wouldn't start hyperventilating or make any noise. The air smelled foul and polluted, which was why she hadn't been breathing through the nose until she needed to. She expected the woman to get upset, instead Lestrange laughed. "You do know that you're in a dungeon, right? You can hide but you can't run." She sounded thoroughly amused.

Rose knew it was a bad idea, but the woman was right. She couldn't go anywhere… Lestrange simply had to take a stroll around this filthy place to find her.

She stepped out from behind her pillar.

The woman was facing away from her, looking off in the direction of the darkest part of the dungeon, where Rose had not dared to venture.

Rose cleared her throat. "I'm here." She said weakly and the woman spun around. She was wearing a heavy black cloak that looked more for a wizard than a witch.

She smiled viciously, "You're a brave one, aren't you. I'm so glad you're here." She clapped her hands together, and the ringing sound echoed making Rose flinch. She stalked towards Rose and Rose backed against the pillar.

"Are you going to kill me?" Rose's voice trembled.

"Eventually." Rose let out a sob, but bit her lip. She wasn't going to give this psychopath the satisfaction. "But not yet." Rose let out a shaky breath. One thing helped. She had been repeating one thought in her head for hours.

This was Atria's mother. She couldn't be all crazy.

"Say it." Lestrange growled and Rose looked surprised. "I can see you want to ask me something, so please do." She said with a great big arm motion and false sweetness.

"Your daughter," Rose said slowly.

The woman seemed to have been preparing for this because this time, when Atria was mentioned, she only smiled. She wanted to be in control.

"You may think she's your friend, but she's been lying to you." Lestrange assured Rose. "She was always so good at that… lying. She was a brilliant witch, my little princess. I kept waiting for her to break me out of Azkaban. But she was smart, befriending your family."

Rose breathed heavily. She knew that this woman was spouting lies. She seemed like she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince Rose. The woman smiled threateningly, with bared teeth.

"Atria loves her mother," She nodded. Rose was sure she was saying this to herself. "And maybe that's where I went wrong. Love is weakness and it needs to be disposed of. I tried to do that, but it was too late." Lestrange continued to mutter. Rose felt relief and fear mixed together.

From the sound of it, Atria didn't learn love from this woman and whatever hope Rose had that Lestrange wasn't totally evil vanished. She wondered about Atria's father, but she didn't want to interrupt the woman's murmurings.

"... I haven't seen my daughter in three years." The woman looked at Rose.

Rose wasn't sure if she was supposed to say something. She cleared her throat, "She's really smart."

Lestrange laughed. "I know and it's wasted. It's always been wasted even when I was trying to teach her. Her-" The woman stopped and glared off into the dark, where the torches did not continue.

Rose's breath caught. "Her father…" She stopped when Lestrange turned around to glare at her. Rose didn't more or say anything, careful not to upset the woman more.

Lestrange smiled suddenly and walked right up to Rose. "Atria is not on your side." The woman said condescendingly. "No matter how she may have acted, or what's happened in the past, when it comes down to it, Atria will always choose her mother." The woman bit out every word with a driving finality.

Rose pushed against the pillar, trying to get away.

"She will choose her family in the end." The woman whispered and Rose looked her in the eyes.

"We are her family."

Before the woman could react, Rose grabbed the torch above her head and swung it wildly. Lestrange jumped away and Rose took off in a dead run to the dark part of the dungeon. She had been too afraid to go there, but she had looked for an exit and found none in the lit part of the dungeon. That meant there had to be a door at the other end.

"Little girl," The sickeningly sweet voice came from behind her. "Where are you going?" The dead voice echoed around her and Rose could hear the footfalls chasing behind her. Her own breath sounded in her ears and her heart pounded.

She needed the torch, but it was drawing Lestrange right to her. She frantically searched for an exit before the woman caught up with her.

"No," she whispered when she saw a brick wall ahead. She looked left and right and hoped to see something. She dropped the torch and ran to hide behind and pillar, but she knew it was no use.

The light flickered on the ground and Rose could see the shadow of a person pick up the torch.

"What now?" A laugh echoed and Rose closed her eyes. "There is no escape."

Tears slipped out of Rose's eyes and she quickly brushed them away. There had to be an exit somewhere. She needed to look again, but it was impossible without Lestrange hearing her. And the woman had a wand. In fact, Rose wondered why she hadn't used it already.

"I can hear your breathing."

Rose pressed her lips together and opened her eyes.

And then she took off, running as fast as she could.

"Running is useless." The voice was so close, Rose looked next to her, on the other side of the pillars. The light was close, too close.

She kept running until she saw the lit part of the dungeon. She turned around and screamed. Dark eyes bore into hers and for a moment the black cape was all she could see, it surrounded her. She scrambled back around, but Lestrange tripped her and she fell forward.

She scrambled on her back, staring up at the sneering woman. She tried to turn around, but the deranged woman grabbed her leg and she fell on her stomach. Rose's head cracked on the stone, but she kept kicking. She kicked the torch out of the woman's hand and it fell to the side illuminating…

Rose screamed at the top of her lungs. A rotting corpse leaned against the wall, a pool of blood around the body. Bones surrounded by decayed flesh and insects. The corpse had long dark hair and wore female clothing. And the skull was cracked.

"Why couldn't you have stayed put?" The woman shook her head. And Rose looked up at her, noticing the details of her face and her body. Then she looked at the corpse. _A metamorphmagus would be able to take the form of Lestrange... No one would suspect a thing. _

"You said Atria would always choose family." Rose shrieked. "So what's she going to do when she finds out that you killed her mother. She's going to eat you alive when she find out you killed-" Rose was struck by a hard fist.

Her head swam and her vision started to fade. The first thing that came to mind, was she hoped this wasn't interfering with her brain because she had finals in a few months. She almost laughed to herself, because she knew she was never going to take those important tests.

As Rose faded out of consciousness once again the last words she heard were, "Atria, will never find out."

And they came from a man.


	33. Please Don't Hate Me

Rose woke up with a burning pain in the back of her head. Her vision was blurry and her stomach churned. She figured that she had a concussion. It wasn't really a surprise based on how many times her head had gotten knocked. For a moment, she only remember the first few hours of her capture.

And then remembered how she had been knocked out this past time. She tried to sit up, but dizziness flooded her conscious. She fell back down and heard a tsking sound.

"I'm surprised you're alive." There was a man leaning against the pillar across from her. Rose crawled back, trying to get away from him. "Why did you have to run? Why did you have to ruin everything?"

Rose choked out a breath.

She looked around. The man had moved her into the lit part of the dungeon. She felt like throwing up, thinking that his hands might have been on her body. But it was more probable that he had used a spell, because he wouldn't want to touch her either.

She tried to focus on the man, but her head throbbed. She could tell that he had light hair and fair features. He actually looked… sort of beautiful for a middle aged man. He looked better than he had as a woman.

"The body…" She gasped as she clutched her head. When she wiped under her eyes, she frowned at the wet sensation on her face. Rose looked at her hand and her breath caught, seeing the blood smeared across it.

"Mmhmm." The man looked totally unconcerned.

"Is that…" Rose couldn't finish. She had not seen Atria's mother's decaying bodying in the dungeon. She couldn't believe this psycho had been impersonating Lestrange.

"Isis Lestrange?" The man finished. Rose closed her eyes. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Why?"

Why would he want to kill the daughter of the most prolific Death Eaters? If he was looking to lead the Death Eaters, wouldn't she help? Realization hit Rose. That's why he pretended to be her, so he could lead the Death Eaters without her.

"She was getting in my way. I didn't need her anymore."

Rose breathed. He had murdered, and based on the amount of blood it had been brutal, a pureblood who was descended from a powerful family and who had been a Death Eater. If he could do that to someone like Isis Lestrange, what would he do with Rose?

Rose shuddered at the thought and she laid her head down, trying to hold back tears.

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Atria stopped short. She saw Harry and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement talking. Her adrenaline rush was gone now and suddenly all she could see was Azkaban and what she imagined the inside looked like.

She couldn't do this. She was signing her own death warrant. A one way ticket to Azkaban…

Shut up! She told herself. This is for Rose.

She stalked up to the two men, who were speaking in hushed tones.

"I need to speak with both of you." She interrupted. They both looked questioningly at her.

Harry cleared his throat, "Atria, can this wait-"

"No." She snapped and a few nurses looked at her. She lower her voice, "I have to speak with you two in private." The men glanced at each other. Alvarez, she remembered the other man's name. They had met at several Ministry functions over the past few years.

Alvarez grabbed a nurse, "Is there an office we can use?"

The nurse blinked, "Um… I think that one over there is empty. The healer is with a patient now." Atria walked across the hall the the glass panelling and then went inside and closed the curtains.

"Atria, what is this about?" Harry folded his arms.

"She lives with you?" Alvarez seemed to be remembering her as well. Harry nodded.

"I want something to be abundantly clear before I tell you this." Atria said firmly.

Alvarez shifted uncomfortably. "You're not giving us a lot of confidence in you."

Atria smirked despite herself. "I care so much about all of you. I consider you my family and that's why I'm doing this. Finding Rose is more important than anything."

"Atria-"

She held up a hand to stop Harry. "I think I might have an idea about where Rose is and how she was taken." There was a pause.

Harry looked at her like he was begging her to take it back. "How?"

"You know how."

Alvarez looked between the two of them. "Am I missing something?"

Harry opened his mouth, but it was Atria who spoke. "He found me while raiding a Death Eater hide out." Atria said and Alvarez waited for her to continue. "The girl you're looking for is me. My mother is leading the Death Eaters."

Alvarez's jaw dropped and Harry groaned. "Atria, do you realize-"

"Yes," Atria snapped. "I know that I am signing my own death warrant right now, but if I didn't tell you I would be signing Rose's. I want to tell you that my mother wouldn't hurt her… but I don't know her anymore."

"You're a Death Eater." Alvarez said.

"Not anymore."

"You're the granddaughter of Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Yes, and if I could change that, I would."

Alvarez looked at her for a moment and then started shouting. "You've known this whole time? You've had crucial information that we need and you let people die!" Atria winced.

"No," She shouted back. "I only had a name. I knew nothing of their plans. I didn't know where they were hiding-"

"Then how do you plan to find Rose?" Harry interrupted. Yes, that was why she was here.

"I realized how my mother got into the Ministry."

"So it was your mum."

"I'm assuming yes. The metamorphmagus trait runs in my mother's side of the family. I think she's one too. She could have taken on the identity of any Ministry official and no flags would be raised because she didn't use a polyjuice potion." Atria explained.

"But you don't know for sure?" Harry asked urgently.

"No, but it fits. It would help explain how she escaped from Azkaban. All she had to do was wait for an opportunity… a new guard, a system malfunction and she could get out."

"How could you not know?" Alvarez growled. "She's your mother."

"My mother… it's complicated. She killed my father. After that she changed, as one would expect, she wasn't the same person who raised me. I don't know what she's capable anymore and I don't know all of her secrets." Atria sighed, slightly amazed they hadn't arrested her.

"So where is Rose?" Harry asked.

"I think she's at Castel Lestrange."

"What?" Both men gaped at her.

"It's my family home in Paris. It's very well protected and you have to be part of the family to get in. And even then, you could die. But I went there in the summer, and my mother's portrait was frozen. No one was there at the time and it looked like no one had been there for years. But there's a dungeon and it's nearly impossible to find, much less get in."

Harry folded his arms, "How do we get there?" Alvarez gripped Harry's arm.

"How do we know we can trust her?"

"You're not dead." Atria muttered. Harry looked at her and she shrugged. "I have been living with you for three and a half years, I have had plenty of opportunities to kill you. But I haven't."

"Why?"

She looked at Harry. "Because you're my family now. I didn't want to stay with you and I didn't want to go to Hogwarts. But I haven't looked back. You helped me realize what family is and you taught me love. So for that… thank you. I am eternally grateful." Atria's throat burned and she blinked away the tears. Harry knew she was saying goodbye. She could see in his eyes the regret at how things turned out.

He cleared his throat, but his voice was still scratchy. "So you think Rose is at your house?"

"We have a dungeon."

"Of course you do. So what are we waiting for?"

"There's a problem with getting in. First, assemble all the pureblood Aurors you have. Mr. Malfoy should come with us as well. You're going to need me to get you inside. Also, you need me to get into the dungeon and get out. Once you're in only a member of the house can let you out."

"But we don't know that's where Rose is?" Alvarez asked.

Atria hesitated and then shook her head. "There's still so many questions that need to be answered. I still don't understand why she took Rose."

"For leverage."

"No, that doesn't make sense."

"Can you give us some insight into your mother?" Harry asked.

Atria sighed helplessly. "I don't think so. I never would have thought my mum was capable of murder. She was cold and prejudiced against muggles, but she wouldn't have killed them."

"It seems like you and your mum need to have a long talk." Alvarez said grimly. "You'll have plenty of time to chat in Azkaban." Atria's heart sank. Those were the words she had been dreading. But she had no intention of going to Azkaban.

"Alvarez," Harry sighed, but was cut off by a dismissive wave.

"I'm going to get a team together." Alvarez told him and then turned to Atria. "If you're lying or leading us into a trap… I will execute you on the spot."

Harry let out a low breath as Alvarez went for the door.

"Show me what you look like. The real you." Alvarez demanded. Atria opened her mouth and then ran a hand through her blue hair as it turned black. Her face became slimmer and altogether more chiseled and cold. She knew she looked like her grandmother. Her eyes were black as opposed to their usual vibrant purple. "Put restraints on her."

Atria looked at the ground. She started when the door slammed shut.

"Atria…" Harry sighed.

She shook her head. "I know. I know I messed up. I should have told you the moment the Death Eaters escaped…"

"You should have told us the moment we took you home. Why didn't you? You were just a child then, you couldn't be blamed for your parents… or grandparents. But not, it's more than that, you've lied."

Atria's lip trembled as she spoke. "I didn't plan on sticking around. To me, you were blood traitors. You wouldn't have let me go if I told you and I needed to escape."

"Why did you stay? Why didn't you tell us later? We wouldn't have cared-"

"Yes, you would have! Even if you know in your heart that it doesn't change who I am, you can't help but wonder… you can't help but see the resemblance." Atria whispered. "I stayed because you showed me how good life could be with people who loved you. And I didn't tell you later because I didn't want to see that love disappear. The person that I was before I met you no longer exists. There was no reason to tell you, because I had no connection to my old life."

"And then the Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban."

"I regret not telling you then, but I was scared." Atria wiped under her eyes. "I was so scared that you would have to arrest me. I didn't know anything at that point. I was so far removed from my past life, but I was afraid that you would think I was hiding something…"

"So why tell us now? Alvarez wants to send you to Azkaban… and after everything that's happened…" Harry didn't need to finish. No one would argue if she was sent to Azkaban. "And you know this, so why now?"

"Rose." Atria said simply. "She is my best friend. I would die for her. And it looks like I'm getting the chance to prove it. Before, I didn't know any more than you. My mother is a stranger to me, but as soon as I had information I came forward." She said defensively.

"Attie, I can't save you."

Atria's throat contracted and her eyes burned. "I know." Her voice cracked.

"How do we tell…" Everyone.

"You have to let me tell Albus. He needs to hear it from me."

Harry's eyebrows raised slowly. "Albus?" He repeated and Atria nodded, hoping she wouldn't have to spell it out.

"He know's that I've been hiding something, but I couldn't tell him what."

Harry looked like he had been knocked over the head. "Albus?" He said once more.

And despite everything Atria smiled. "Yes. You sound so surprised."

"You share a bathroom."

Atria barked out a laugh. "Why is everyone so stuck on that? Look, to be fair this is the first time we've shared a bathroom since we started going out."

"When were you going to tell us?" Harry said loudly and this was the most emotion he had shown in the whole conversation.

"Out of everything I just told you, this is what you're most concerned with?" Atria looked at him and Harry shook his head.

"I just never thought…"

"We fought it." Atria sighed.

"This is going to crush all of them. Not just Albus, but Lily and James, and when we get Rose back… she's going to be rescued only to find out that it cost you your freedom."

"It's worth it."

Harry was silent for a minute. "Tell me the truth." Atria held her breath. Those were her least favorite words. "Do you think Rose is still alive?"

Atria took a deep breath. "I don't know."

Harry looked at her for a moment and then nodded.

"I need to put a magical binding on your wrists."

"Can I talk to Albus first?" Atria asked hopefully.

"I have to restrain you, but I'll bring him up here." Harry told her and she held her hands together. He pulled his wand out and a gold light flowed out of his wand and around her wrists. "Try to move your hands." Atria pulled her hands apart, but only managed get an inch.

"Please…" Atria said as Harry was leaving. He turned back. "Please, tell Hermione that I'm sorry. And tell Ginny that she… she has been a good mother to me." Harry nodded and then turned away quickly. The door shut with a soft click.

And in the quiet, Atria finally broke down sobbing.

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Harry had tunnel vision as he walked through St. Mungo's. He couldn't imagine how he was going to tell the family. He thought about Atria throughout the years. He had watched her grow up to some extent. It was stupid of him to not have considered the possibility. He had found her near a Death Eater hideout.

She had never spoken of her past. But he had watched her with Hermione, a muggle born. She wasn't prejudiced. She wasn't cruel. And then he thought about all the times Albus had insisted that she wasn't as great as everyone made her out to be. Harry knew she could be… impatient and reckless. Albus had said that she was careless and harsh. And now, Harry had to tell his son that he had been right all along.

But for once, Albus wasn't going to want to hear it.

All of the children were with Scorpius. Harry closed his eyes.

He didn't know how to say it. They were going to ask questions, and he didn't know how to answer them. And how the hell was he going to tell Ron and Hermione?

Harry stopped procrastinating and opened the door.

"Atria-" Amanda cut herself off. "Oh, Mr. Potter, did you see where Atria went? She ran out of here like someone lit a fire under her a-" Amanda cough, "um… her butt."

Harry looked at the four of them. It was probably a good thing that Lily and Hugo weren't here. "Yes, she wants to speak with you." He looked at Albus.

"Why?" Scorpius asked and Amanda smirked knowingly. Harry wondered if they knew.

Albus quickly said, "Where is she?"

"She's on the fifth floor in the Head Healer's office."

Albus raised his eyebrows. "Why?" Harry glanced at the clock on the wall.

"You need to go… now." Harry stressed. Alvarez would be back for Atria any minute and then she would lead them into what had she called it… Castel Lestrange? And after that, she would be sent to Azkaban if Alvarez kept to his word.

Albus frowned, but then stalked out of the room.

"Why does she want to see him?" James asked.

Amanda smirked, "Because they're together."

Scorpius scoffed, "No they're not."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Yes, they are. It was a little bit obvious that something was going on, but it was confirmed today." James's mouth flopped open like a fish.

"Atria and Albus?" He said slowly.

Amanda nodded.

Scorpius leaned back, "How could we not have seen that?"

"You and Rose were too busy with your Head Duties." She shrugged.

"Still."

Harry didn't want to disrupt the normal conversation they were having. After they found out who Atria was they would never be able to have a normal conversation about her again. Depending on how things played out they might never be able to have any conversation about her.

Harry regretted the way things played out. He wasn't as surprised as he thought he should be, but the more he thought about it the more it dawned on him that Atria could spend the rest of her life in Azkaban, or worse, be given the dementor's kiss.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

Harry hadn't realized that they were all looking at him.

"I have to tell you something. It's going to be difficult to hear…"

Scorpius jerked up, "Is Rose alright?"

Harry nodded, "We haven't found her body if that's what you mean. We actually have a lead."

Scorpius smiled for the first time since he found out Rose was missing. "That's great! What's the plan? I'm going with you wherever she is."

"You can't come with us." Harry said automatically.

Scorpius's brows got real low. "Why not? Rose is my best friend."

"It's not about that. Look, I'm just going to say it. We have confirmation that it was Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter who took Rose. There were some things that the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement didn't tell us… like that Bellatrix Lestrange also had a granddaughter…" Harry's throat tightened.

"Albus already told us that." Amanda folded her arms.

Here it goes… "Atria is that girl. She thinks she knows where her mother took Rose and we're going to search."

All three of them were shocked into silence. Amanda was the first to speak. "That's impossible," she shook her head in denial.

Harry sighed, "I know it's a lot-"

"It's more than a lot! Amanda's right, it's impossible. Whoever told you this-" James burst out.

Harry cut off his son, "Atria told me this. She came to us and told us everything."

Scorpius growled, "How could she do this to Rose?"

"She hasn't been in contact with her mother since before she came to live with us." Harry said, not wanting them to blame Atria for the current situation.

"Why didn't she say something sooner?" Scorpius demanded.

"It's complicatde, but she thinks her mother is a metamorphmagus."

Amanda frowned, "She doesn't know?"

"I get the feeling that she didn't have the most open relationship with her mother. She thinks that's how her mother got into the ball."

"So where is Rose?" Scorpius snapped.

"Atria thinks her family home is where her mother would go. Apparently the have a dungeon."

James looked at Scorpius, "Do all pureblood families have secret lairs with dungeons on hand? Because that's creepy." Amanda glared at James and smacked his arm. Scorpius didn't even seem to register his question.

He shook his head absently, "Why didn't she tell us? If she has nothing to do with them, why not be honest? Or at least she could've told me." He whispered.

Harry sighed, not knowing exactly what to say. "She was scared. When we found her, she was only fourteen years old. And think of everything that she must have been told."

"It's amazing she's not a maniac." Amanda muttered.

Harry nodded, "It really is."

"So what's going to happen to her?" James asked the question that Harry had been dreading. How was he supposed to respond to that? Because the truth was horrible, but they all had to be prepared for it.

"Honestly… I don't know."

"But she hasn't done anything wrong," Amanda said. "I mean, you can't help who your family is." Harry's heart warmed to hear that, but unfortunately that wasn't the end of the story.

"They're not after her because of her family. Alvarez doesn't even think she had anything to do with the attacks…"

"Then what's the problem?" James demanded.

"I think he's going to accuse her of hiding or withholding important evidence. Which to be fair, he does have a point, but I don't believe that she knew any crucial evidence up until today. And she came to us immediately after she did realize."

"I still don't understand…" Amanda shook her head. "She didn't know that her mother was a metamorphmagus? Did she know it was her mother orchestrating the attacks?"

Once again, Harry didn't have all the information. "I'm not entirely clear on the situation. Technically, it's just a theory that her mother is a metamorphmagus, but Atria seems to think that's how she escaped from Azkaban as well."

Scorpius glared off into space. "Why didn't she tell us who the Death Eaters were as soon as they broke out from Azkaban?"

"She made a mistake. She was afraid." Harry said. "It would be better if you spoke with her about it."

Amanda looked up, "When will we be able to speak with her?"

Harry sighed, "I don't know. But I have to go tell Hermione and Ron."

They all cringed, imagining the pair's reaction to this piece of information.

Scorpius started to get out of the hospital bed. "I'm coming with you."

"Scorpius-" Harry shook his head.

"No. I'm feeling better and I need to be there." Scorpius said firmly.

"We're coming as well." James motioned to him and Amanda. Amanda shot James a look.

"You're not ready to walk, much less go into a dangerous situation. Neither of you are." Amanda argued, glancing at the two boys. Harry had to agree with Amanda.

"Scorpius, I think your father will be coming with us. You need to talk to him."

"I'm adult, my father doesn't say what I can do."

"Not as your father, but as a healer you need his opinion. Furthermore, this is Auror business we can't take students into a field situation." Harry said with a certain finality. The boys immediately started protesting, but Amanda shut them up.

"We have no idea what's happening!" She snapped. "We need more information. All of us." She looked between Scorpius, James, and Harry. "There has to be a plan, and we're going to need Atria's help."

Harry nodded, "She's right, you boys can't go in halfcocked."

"You don't want us to do anything." James argued.

Amanda silenced him with a look. "We need to talk to Atria."

"I wonder what she's saying to Albus."

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Atria looked at the magical cuffs that bound her hands together. Merlin, this was not how she wanted to tell Albus about her past and her family. She was terrified of what he might say… would he still want to be together.

Albus wasn't judgement… anymore. He cared about he and she couldn't believe that he would leave her because of her name. She was worried about him being angry because she kept it from him.

But was it was of Atria to ask that he stay with her? He would if she asked him to, but she wanted it to be for the right reasons. Not simply because he felt like it was his obligation.

She was so caught up in her mental argument with herself that she didn't notice Albus come into the office.

When he saw the look on her face, which she imagined must have been distraught, he came over to her, capturing her face in his palms.

"Atria, what's wrong? My father said… has something happened with Rose?"

Atria shook her head and looked up at the ceiling, trying to blink the tears away. Her throat was tight and she knew that her voice was going to sound choked. "I told you I have a secret…" She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"You said you couldn't tell me yet." She felt his knuckles brush her cheek softly.

"I'm telling you now." She opened her eyes and memorized what would probably be the last non-betrayed look in her eyes. "I told you a little bit about my parents, but I didn't tell you everything." Albus frowned.

"Why are you telling me this now?" He asked slowly and she saw the suspicion in his eyes.

"Albus, Isis Lestrange is my mother."

His hands stayed on her face, but his eyes were blank. It was like he was looking right through her. Atria put on hand of his, keeping his palm pressed to her cheek.

"Please say something," Atria gripped his hand. He blinked a few times and then he focused on her.

"The woman… that everyone is searching for… is your mother. You're Bellatrix Lestrange's granddaughter." He said slowly. Atria hesitated and then gave a quick nod. "And you're telling me now…"

"I think it was my mother that took Rose and I think I might know where she is."

Albus snapped out of his complacent state. "Where is Rose?" He asked urgently, drawing his hands away from her face. Atria missed the warmth immediately.

"I think she's at my family home-"

"Then what are we waiting for?" He demanded.

"Alvarez is getting a team together and then I will have to explain to them-"

Albus stopped her, "I'm coming with you." Atria opened her mouth and then closed it and shook her head.

"Albus," She sighed, "I want you to come but it's too dangerous."

He stepped away from her. "I get O's in DADA, I'm a better dueler than you-"

"It's not about that." She interrupted. "Look, my house is a dangerous place for anyone, but especially if you're not a pureblood or a Lestrange."

Albus frowned, "So your house is discriminatory?"

Atria wanted to laugh at how absurd it sounded. "Yes."

"Is Scorpius going with you?"

"That's up to him."

"He'll want to go."

"I won't stop him, but Alvarez might."

"How much trouble are you in?" He looked at her magical binding.

Atria managed to keep a straight face and say, "I'm not sure, but Alvarez is not happy with me."

"And my father?"

"I think he understands why I lied." Atria said slowly. "But I don't care what they think… I only care about your opinion." He was avoiding eye contact.

"This is a lot to take in…" He sighed. "I wish you had told me."

"I was afraid of how you would react."

"I don't think my reaction was all that bad."

"You haven't really given me one…" Atria said.

Albus rubbed the back of his head. "I think we should talk later." Atria swallowed thickly.

She felt herself nodding. "Okay." She croaked.

A moment later the door opened and Alvarez came in with a hard face. He glanced between Atria and Albus, but then focused on Atria.

"Come with me."

Atria gave Albus one final look before following Alvarez into the hallway. Several people noticed the handcuffs, but thank Merlin for her blue hair and softer facial features, otherwise people might have recognized her. She didn't want to be in the middle of a crowd full of people when they found out it was her mother that put them in the hospital.

He took her into a waiting room that had been closed off to the public. Inside were seven Aurors and one man who didn't look much older than Atria. They all went silent as Atria came into the room. Harry came in a moment later.

"As you all know, we have a lead on the Death Eaters and where Rose Weasley might be. This is Atria Lestrange and she's going to tell us everything she knows." Alvarez announced.

Atria glared at the man for a good long moment. He had completely thrown her under the bus. Now she was receiving hateful glares from almost everyone in the room. Harry nudged her shoulder, queuing her to speak.

"Um… right. I think my mother might be in our family home in Paris." Several eyebrows shot up. "So that's where we're going…" She wasn't really sure what to say.

"How is it possible that Bellatrix had a daughter that the Ministry didn't know about?" One woman asked.

Atria swallowed, "I think my mum was taken to a different country to the British Ministry wouldn't keep track… I'm not sure really. But I was born on a small island off the coast of Africa that has no wizard populous."

"How can we trust you?" Another man asked.

"Well, I've been living with the Potter's for nearly four years. I was a child when they found me and I think that helped change me."

"But if your parents raised you as a Death Eater, does that really ever go away?"

Atria frowned, "You should ask Healer Malfoy. Look, despite what my mother is now, once upon a time she was caring and loving… she didn't want to me to be a killer. That's not to say that she wasn't prejudiced, but she hasn't always been…"

"Insane?"

"Yea." Atria said dryly. "I'm not perfect, but I'm not evil."

"Why didn't you tell the Potter's who you were then?"

"I never planned on staying with them. But… I decided that maybe a normal life wasn't so bad. At first, I didn't tell them because I wanted to escape." Atria looked at Harry. "But then it was because I didn't consider myself to be who I was. I wasn't the same person, so why should I tell them about a former life? I regret not telling them after my mother broke out of Azkaban."

"Do you think you could have stopped these attacks?"

"No. We now know that my mother is a metamorphmagus. Even if you knew her identity it wouldn't have helped. And I didn't know much more than you. I took a trip to my family home and no one was there. I had nothing else to offer, but… I should have said something. As soon as I had relevant information I came forward." Atria said firmly.

Alvarez sniffed, "Don't you think the Ministry should decide what information is relevant?"

Atria shot the man a hard look. "What do you plan on doing with me?"

He looked taken back by the question. "I don't understand."

"When this is all over… what do you plan on doing with me?" Atria crossed her arms. "You want to throw me in Azkaban." Alvarez didn't say anything. "I knew that would happen, so I wasn't going to come forward, if I didn't have anything useful."

"Why come forward at all?"

"Rose Weasley is my best friend. I would do anything for her."

"Even go to Azkaban?" The woman asked.

Atria inhaled. "If it's my life or hers… I know which I would choose."

No one said anything for a while. Atria cleared her throat. "I have something uncomfortable to ask you. Are any of you muggle borns?"

Alvarez sputtered, "I fail to see how that is relevant, unless you want to discriminate."

"Just answer the question." Atria snapped. One man raised his hand. "You can't come with us. My house… it's one giant death trap, even for a Lestrange or a pureblood. But for a muggle born, you would be killed before you even reached the front gate."

Alvarez suddenly looked alarmed instead of smug. "The house would kill him."

Atria now turned a smug look to him. "My house has many secrets, most of them deadly. When I went there over the summer the rose bushes attacked me and I swallowed by the foyer. The house will play games with your mind. I'm less concerned about the Death Eaters, and more concerned about someone losing their mind."

"And this is where Rose is?" Harry's eyes widened.

"I think so. But if my mother is keeping her in the dungeon she should be safe."

"The dungeon is the safe place?"

"It's hard to explain, basically it's just a cold dark room though. The difficulty is not to give yourself over to the despair. It won't play mind games with you, it won't make you see things, but it will make you feel empty. Almost like a dementor turned into a room."

"So how do we find this horrid place?"

Atria bit her lip. "That's the thing… the house is always changing. You learn to see the signs and the are hints as to how to get from one place to another, but I've forgotten."

"You said you were in the house recently." Alvarez said accusingly.

Atria rolled her eyes, "Yes, but I was swallowed by the foyer and lost in nothingness for a few hours. Then I checked around before finding the exit and high tailing the hell out of there."

"So how are we supposed to attack this place?"

"You don't. Our goal is to get Rose out and possibly find my mother. I doubt this is where the other Death Eaters are hiding."

Some of the Aurors looked put off. The muggle born was scratching his head.

"So should I leave?"

"No!" Alvarez snapped.

"Yes," I nodded. "I'm honestly not trying to be prejudiced. It's going to be a dangerous mission and it will be tenfold as dangerous for you. But I think we should bring Mr. Malfoy."

"I hope you mean me…" Scorpius said from the doorway. Amanda was propping him up and Draco was on his other side.

Atria didn't know what to say to them. Obviously they knew. They were all standing there, looking at her as if she was a stranger. Atria's mouth opened, but she couldn't say anything.

"Scorpius," Draco shook his head.

"Dad, you don't understand. I have to find Rose," He said in a soft voice that carried so many emotions. Atria's eyes watered just hearing his voice and seeing his determination. Then he turned to her.

"Scor…" Atria reached out to him, but he jerked away.

"Scorpius," Amanda sighed.

"You can barely walk." Harry interrupted our the silent destruction of our friendship.

Scorpius pulled away from Amanda and Draco. "Your house is dangerous for anyone who's not a pureblood." He said stiffly to Atria. "Well, I'm a pureblood."

"You're a child-" Alvarez scoffed.

"I'm top of my class, Head Boy, and I would challenge you to a duel right now, but I think we have better things to do," Scorpius said in a deadly voice.

Atria didn't want him to go. She didn't want him to see evidence of what her family was like. It wasn't logical considering what his family was like, and the fact that they were actually related, but with the way he was looking at her now… he didn't care that technically he was related to her grandmother as well.

"He should come." Atria said, looking Scorpius in the eyes. She could see he was grateful, even though he was angry with her. "He is a brilliant wizard and it will help to have another pureblood. Mr. Malfoy, you should come as well. We might need a healer." She said that last part quietly.

"And me?" Amanda looked at Atria.

Atria almost let out a sigh of relief, when she saw that her friend wasn't looking at her with hatred. It was more like confusion and pity.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea. I think you should stay here." Harry said, before Atria could say something. But Atria actually agreed.

"Have you told Ron and Hermione?" Atria bit her lip, looking at Harry.

"Uh… yes. They want to come."

"Ron can, Hermione-"

"Can't?" Harry raised his eyebrows.

"I know it seems harsh, but it's for the best. Ron can come, but that doesn't mean I think he should. In fact, Scorpius-"

"I'm coming." He said harshly. Atria pressed her lips together.

"You might not like what you find?"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning a body." Atria didn't mean to sound that cruel, but Scorpius needed to prepared. They all did.

Scorpius jerked back. "You think she's dead?" He voice cracked and he staggered back into Amanda, who immediately took on his weight.

Atria started to speak, but then stopped because if she started speaking in that moment she would have completely broken down. She swallowed and fought the tightness creeping up her throat, clearing away the tears.

"I don't know. And that's what scares me."

**Sorry this took so long! I hope it was worth the wait. Let me know what you think. - Alex**


	34. Merry Christmas

"Scorpius, will you please say something?" Atria pleaded. He hadn't spoken to her or looked at her. "I get that you're mad, but can we talk about this?" She struggled to keep up with his quick pace.

"Scorpius…" She groaned and he suddenly spun around, almost knocking her over.

"You don't get it! Maybe if you had told us, Rose wouldn't be in this situation right now." He seethed. "I don't care who your family is, I'm certainly not one to judge, but you lied and you lied. And now, Rose is trapped in a house that you describe as a 'death trap'."

"Rose is my friend too! I never thought this would happen!" Atria snapped back. It wasn't as if she planned for this to happen. Several people in the hall looked at them.

"You didn't think of anything apparently!" Scorpius shook his head. "You were only concerned with keeping your secret, you never thought about how this would affect us."

Atria exhaled, her temper deflating slightly. "I was afraid."

Scorpius looked so disappointed in her. "Did you really think we would judge you?"

"It wasn't about being judged. Even if you were completely fine with it, there would still be the association and I didn't want that. I didn't want any connection with my family."

"Because of your selfishness, Rose is gone."

Atria inhaled sharply. "This is not my fault!"

"If you don't feel guilty, then you don't love her like I do!" Scorpius shouted.

Atria huffed, "Of course I love you, you git! I do feel guilty! Do you think I don't wake up in the middle of the night seeing all the faces of people my family has killed?" Atria yelled. "Because I do! It haunts me and I wish that I could change it but I can't. Don't pretend that you know what I'm going through, because you don't! My mother murdered my father and you have no idea what she made me do!" Atria yanked up her sleeve revealing her Dark Mark.

"Has that always been there?"

"I kept it hidden!" Atria seethed, not bothering to wipe away her tears. "It hurts like hell having it forced on you! I was eleven and I didn't want it." Atria breathed heavily, halfway to hyperventilating.

"I don't think you're a bad person. I wish you had told us."

"I didn't want to talk about it, I didn't want to think about it. Do you know what's going to happen to me?" Atria demanded and Scorpius sputtered. "I'm probably going to be sent to Azkaban. And I knew that would happen, so I wasn't just going to share it with the world!"

"You're not going to Azkaban." Scorpius said. "Harry won't let that happen."

"He won't have a choice. But I suspect you're right."

Scorpius said nothing and then frowned. "What do you mean?" He asked suspiciously.

"My mother became obsessed with her cause. She wanted me to be an amazing witch. I'm scared of what she'll do when she finds out I'm with the good guys now."

"Atria, you can't be serious-"

"You don't know what she's like. She used the cruciatus curse on me once because I couldn't do a spell. She said it was 'for motivation'."

"How could she do that? You were a child!"

Atria smirked, "Killing really does change a person. Look, I'm sorry that I lied to you. But if you think I don't understand the severity of the situation, you're dead wrong. I understand better than anyone."

"You don't think your mum would kill Rose?"

"I think she's going to try and kill me. There's been a part of me that doesn't want to believe my mother is evil, but I can't ignore it anymore. Just promise me something? Promise me… that you'll tell Rose how sorry I am." Atria choked on her last breath.

Scorpius shook his head. "Tell her yourself."

"Scor, please. I need you to do this for me."

"You're not going to die."

"Then I'll be in prison."

Scorpius's eyes flared, "We're not going to let that happen." He said vigorously. Atria choked out a laugh, tears clogging in her throat.

She sniffed, "A minute ago you were yelling at me."

"Just because I don't like you right now, doesn't mean I won't always love you." Scorpius pulled her into a hug and Atria didn't realize until that very moment how much she needed this. She just needed to feel someone's arms wrapped around her, holding her like they were never going to let go. She only wished it was Albus. "He'll come around." Scorpius said into Atria's blue hair.

Atria pulled back with a sad smile. He always knew what she was thinking. "Maybe. He's… he didn't seem upset. More like… disappointed and that was ten times worse. It was as if I could see myself falling apart in his eyes. He thinks of me differently."

"It's a lot to take in." Scorpius gripped her shoulders. "But he will come around. And you need to be here when he does. Does he know that you're leaving and not planning on coming home?"

"He said he needed time," Atria looked off at nothing.

"He doesn't have time according to you."

"Stop making me seem like a martyr." Atria snapped.

Scorpius glared at her. "Then stop trying desperately to end your future. Promise me that you'll try and come home."

"Scor-"

"Promise me." He demanded.

"I'm about to see my mother for the first time in years. She's probably going to hate me, everyone else hates me too, and I'm not sure if I can deal with all this." Atria admittedly weakly.

"Your family loves you."

"Which family?" Atria retorted.

"All of us."

Scorpius and Atria looked at Draco Malfoy in surprise. Astoria was standing next to him, clutching her hands together.

"We're family too." Astoria agreed with her husband. "Harry Potter still cares about you. So do your friends."

Suddenly, Atria was feeling to vulnerable for her comfort. She cleared her throat and racked her brain for a subject change.

"When are we leaving?"

Draco frowned at her obvious attempt to draw attention away from herself. "At twelve o'clock." Atria nodded.

"Is it that late?" Scorpius sounded surprised.

"The attack happened around one in the morning. It's now about nine o'clock." Draco looked at his watch.

Scorpius immediately went back to attack mode. "Why aren't we leaving sooner? Three hours is too long, who knows what could happen by the time we arrive-"

"Scorpius," Atria cut him off. "There's still so much we need to plan."

"Like what? A portkey is being arranged to take us to the area around your house-"

"It's so much more complicated than that." Atria shook her head.

Draco frowned. "What do you mean?"

"There's a barrier that we have to cross. We're going to land just outside of that barrier. Once we cross the barrier, then we have to get through the gate and that's the tricky part. I'm going to open the gate, but we have to get everybody through without any casualties."

"Casualties from going through the gate?" Astoria repeated nervously.

"Castel Lestrange is like an evil version of Hogwarts. The house is alive and ever changing. If it senses danger, it will attack."

"And you lived here?" Scorpius raised his eyebrows.

"Not permanently. We lived there for three years until my father died. After that we only went back once, when I was thirteen. I got used to it." Atria shrugged. She even remembered being happy living in Castel Lestrange with her parents. They were lightly involved with some pureblood activists, but a majority of their time was spent together, as a family. But in the last year, her father moved forward with his plans to bring back pureblood superiority.

The ironic thing that neither her mother or her father knew, was that technically Isis and Atria weren't purebloods. Tom Riddle had been a half blood. Of course, that was hardly a defense.

No, I'm not a pureblood, you see, my grandfather, Voldemort, wasn't technically a pureblood, he was just a power hungry mass murdered.

"And we're not even sure Rose is here?"

"I can't imagine where else my mother would take her. Of course, it's been four years since I've been on the inside, but still…" Atria was convinced that Rose was at Castel Lestrange. There wasn't much logic behind her thinking, because her mother could have easily move on, but something told Atria that's where Rose was. Or maybe that was just hopeful thinking. She wanted it to be that easy.

"You both should get something to eat." Draco said.

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair. "This is not how I imagined spending Christmas morning. Hospital food instead of roasted duck."

Atria made a face. "Duck?"

"That's what was on the menu for tonight."

"Suddenly I'm hungry for hospital food." Atria muttered and Scorpius laughed and then let out a pained groan. He rubbed his chest slowly.

"Come on, you need to sit down."

Once at the cafeteria, Atria and Scorpius sat down at a table in the back. It hadn't escaped Atria that, even though Harry had taken the cuffs off of her, there were two Aurors following her around. They were currently observing her from the other side of the cafeteria.

"Atria… Atria!"

She jerked away from the platinum blonde prat shouting her name.

"Merlin, what?" She snapped.

"I called your name four times before you answered." He said.

"Did you need something?" She glared at him.

"Why didn't you and Al tell us that you are together?"

Atria looked at him dryly. "Seriously? That's what you care about right now?"

"You're planning on abandoning him, forcing him to live a life of regret wondering what could have been if only you hadn't been scared of the future." Scorpius retorted and Atria punched his arm. "Hey, I'm injured!"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not scared."

"So you're not using this mission as an excuse to hide from Albus's reaction to your little secret?"

Atria's eye twitched. "No."

"I just want to make sure I have all my facts straight."

She shot him a deadly look. All things considered it probably wasn't the best plan to go around looking like she wanted to kill someone.

"I mean, I understand why you couldn't tell his parents, but why did you hide it from us?" Despite Scorpius's cocky tone, he looked a bit hurt.

"Because we thought you guys would find it weird. And after so much time hating each other, it was weird for us as well. We just wanted to figure things out."

"And you were scared."

"Not really."

"You weren't scared of admitting you were wrong about him?"

"He was wrong about me too!" Atria snapped defensively. It wasn't as if Al had been a ray of sunshine to her.

"Yes, but Albus admits his mistakes. You have issues apologizing."

"I've apologized like… three times in the last twelve hours alone."

"If you think about it, that's not nearly enough."

"I don't want to talk about my relationship with Albus."

Scorpius was silent. Atria inhaled a breath of relief- "Are you going to tell him you're leaving?" Atria exhaled in frustration.

"He said needs time. He doesn't want to see me now."

"His feelings might change if he knew-"

"Scorpius," Atria growled and he pulled back, looking slightly afraid. "Do you not understand that I'm trying not to think about it? Do you think it doesn't kill me that these next few hours might be my last free ones or my last period? I can't," Her voice cracked, "I can't think about Albus right now. I needed to come forward to save Rose, but if I start thinking about all the things I'm losing… I won't be able to get through this. So please, just shut up and sit quietly." She hissed, the back of her throat burning.

Scorpius looked down at his hands folded on the table. "I want you to know that we're going to fight for you."

Atria's vision got blurry and she quickly used to hair as a blue shield. "Well… thank you. These last few years… they have been a real pleasure."

"I have to tell you something." Scorpius blurted and then he turned pink.

Atria raised her eyebrows. "You have a secret too?"

"A big one."

"Sweetheart, I just told the world that I am granddaughter of Bellatrix Lestrange and that my mother is the one who has been orchestrating the most recent Death Eater attacks. I don't think you can top that." Atria chuckled.

"I'm in love with Rose."

Atria's hand froze on the way up to brushing a piece of hair out of her face.

"I stand corrected."

Scorpius looked at her nervously. "What?" He stuttered.

"You have managed to top my secret!" Atria's eyes were wide and her mouth was open. "When the bloody hell did this happen? Merlin, this explains so much! All the hours spent on 'Head Duties', you panicking and-" Atria simply shook her head. "So this is what you two have been doing in your Head dormitories…"

"Atria."

"What?" She giggled.

"Rose, doesn't… actually… know." He cringed. Atria stopped doing a happy dance.

She stared Scorpius in the eyes. "What you mean 'she doesn't know'?" Atria hissed.

"I never said anything!" Scorpius whispered harshly.

Atria palmed her forehead. "Well, now we absolutely have to get her back! And then you can confess your feelings and get married…" Atria's heart dipped. Scorpius and Rose would get their happy ending, but would she and Al?

"Attie, Rose probably doesn't even feel the same way. You know Rose… she's so focused on her studies, she doesn't even notice me."

Atria scoffed, "She notices you."

"As a friend."

Atria pressed her lips together. True, Rose had never shown an inclination of romantic feelings for Scor, but that didn't mean they weren't there.

"You have to tell her how you feel." Atria urged.

Scorpius looked extremely pained and in a cracked voice said, "All I can think about is how I might have missed my chance. If she's gone… she'll have died never knowing how I felt about her."

"That's not going to happen." Atria said in a deadly voice. "If my mother has hurt Rose…"

"Atria…"

"No! I don't care if she's my mother. She hasn't been here for me. Even when we were together she wasn't there for me. She was cruel and… I hope she dies!" Scorpius gasped. Atria knew it was harsh, but thinking of everything her mother had put her through and everything her mum had done since escaping Azkaban.

The only way this was going to end was with her mother in hell. And if Atria had to drag her down… that was fine with her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amanda went back to James's room after the Auror meeting began. They were going to discuss how they would get into Castel Lestrange… Atria's house.

When Amanda had gone with Scorpius to find Atria, she wasn't sure how she would feel about seeing her friend. But then she had seen that horrible Alvarez, and even Scorpius, attacking Atria and her instincts kicked in. Atria was the buy guy in this situation.

In fact, she had probably just saved Rose's life by coming forward, even though the consequences would be bad. It was clear that Alvarez wanted to pin some blame on Atria, if nothing else because they Ministry would need someone to blame for their failure to stop the Death Eaters. Atria was an obvious target, but they didn't actually have anything on her.

Amanda was confident that Harry wouldn't let Atria be locked up. She certainly wouldn't be sent to Azkaban for simply having a crappy family.

James was back in bed, with his leg propped up under a pillow. He perked up when he saw her. "How did it go?"

"Well, Atria thinks Rose is in her family home. The Aurors are preparing a mission that will be leaving soon. And before you ask, no, you can't go."

James folded his arms. "Why not?"

"You can barely walk."

"And Scorpius?"

"Is apparently well enough to go. And there is nothing anyone could do to stop him."

James huffed, "That's hardly fair!" He cried indignantly. Amanda slumped into a chair, not having the strength to stand and listen to his rant. "I'm her cousin and Atria is practically my little sister! Are you going?"

"No. And it's not just about whether or not you can walk. Atria said it was extremely dangerous for non-purebloods."

"What is?"

"Her house. I supposed it's been spelled to keep certain people out. It really doesn't sound like a pleasant place."

"And we're just supposed to sit here?"

"Yes. We'll be waiting for them when they get back." Amanda closed her eyes.

"You mean if they get back."

She opened her eyes to glare at him. "No, when they get back, we'll be here." She said forcefully. "Sometimes you have to know when to let someone else take charge. I trust that Atria knows what's best."

James didn't say anything for a while.

Just when Amanda was about to fall completely asleep James whispered, "Get in bed with me. You looked exhausted." She didn't even bother to open her eyes.

"I was just about to fall asleep." She mumbled.

"Just come here, it'll be easier to fall asleep."

Amanda was about to kill him. Her mind had been completely at peace, or at least tired enough to convince itself of that, but James just had to keep talking. "Sleeping next to you will not make it easier."

"A bed is more comfortable than a chair."

"James," Amanda snapped. "Why can't you just be quiet for two seconds?" She hissed and sat up straight. James stared at her with wide eyes as she stood up. "I should go anyways. My parents will be worried about me."

"You're leaving?" James said incredulously.

Amanda marched towards the door. "Yes, I'll be back in a few hours, but right now I just need to change and get a few bloody hours of sleep without you hassling me!" She slammed the door on the way out.

With the harsh sound, Amanda's anger deflated a bit. They were all strung tight and she felt guilty about snapping at James like that. Still, she was in no mood to deal with his constant antics and jokes.

So far within the last twelve hours, she had met Jack's parents, danced to horribly stuffy music in uncomfortable high heels, nearly been killed, watched her friends nearly get killed, learned that Rose is missing and Atria's mum is responsible for everything horrible that's happened in the last year, and… she was still wearing her bloody, ripped dress from the ball.

Merry Christmas.


	35. The House Crumbles

Albus had been standing in the same spot for an hour. Eventually he sat down because his legs started to get sore. He sat there for hours simply contemplating what sort of future they could possibly have now.

Everything had been perfect. Atria had greeted him like a king and they had kissed and they were going to live happily ever after. Amanda didn't seem at all surprised by their relationship and maybe that was a sign that the rest of their friends wouldn't be too weirded out about it.

And then Atria had confessed that her last name was Lestrange and it was her mother committing all these atrocious acts of violence. Albus sighed and wiped a hand down his face. He had been shocked, too shocked for words. He didn't know what to say to her and he didn't want to say the wrong thing.

He wasn't angry persay. Did he wish that she had told him? Yes, but he understood why she hadn't. With everything happening she would be crucified in the wizarding world. And that was what worried him. She had told his father and they were no doubt planning a rescue mission for Rose.

That meant that the entire Ministry would find out about Atria. He now understood why she was so hesitant to commit to him or their future. They couldn't actually arrest her, could they? She came forward willingly, and she was going to help capture her mother. But Albus knew what the Ministry was like. They would need a scapegoat and it could easily be Atria.

He knew without a doubt that she didn't have anything to do with the Death Eaters. She hadn't done anything wrong, except for have sucky family.

Knocking on the door pulled him from his thoughts. Aunt Hermione stepped into the room, her eyes brimmed with red, but a sad smile was on her face.

"Al, honey, we've been looking for you. It's been hours." She came into the room and sat down next to him. She put a hand on his shoulder. "How are you?"

Albus smirked. "Processing. And you?"

Hermione looked down. "I'm relieved we have a lead on Rose. But I'm worried about Atria." Albus's eyebrows rose up in surprise.

"Really?"

Hermione smiled and shook her head. "I was… surprised, as I'm sure you were. It was a difficult thing to hear, but Atria is still the girl we all love. Some of love her more than others, I hear." She said teasingly. As always, Albus was in awe of his Aunt Hermione. At a time like this she was still able to smile and find relief in the the small thing.

"It was an accident." Albus said automatically. He had rehearsed what he would say to his family a million times.

"Everyone is talking about it."

"That's what everyone is focused on?"

Hermione shrugged. "Rose is going to be home in a few hours… and I think we all just need to get our minds off of everything."

Albus sighed, "So they are planning a rescue mission."

Hermione blinked. "Albus, I thought you knew. They've already left." Albus's head shot up in surprise.

"What? Who?"

"A group of Aurors, including Ron and Harry, and also Scorpius and Atria."

Albus jumped up. "What? They've already left." Hermione stood up as well.

"Yes, they're going to Atria's home in Paris. In fact, they're probably already there." Albus darted for the door. "Albus, where are you going?"

"Aren't we going to join them?" Albus asked urgently.

Hermione shook her head. "It's extremely dangerous and honestly… I'm not sure if I want to see that place. The way Atria described it…"

"So we just have to wait here until they get back?"

"Yes."

Albus's shoulders slumped. "I need to talk to Atria when they get back."

Hermione cleared her throat. "I don't know if that's going to be possible, Albus."

"What do you mean?"

Hermione cringed and folded her hands. "Well, Atria's been arrested. The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Mr. Alvarez, is only letting her go on this mission because she has helpful information about Castel Lestrange."

"Arrested for what?" Albus shouted. "She hasn't done anything wrong!"

"He claims she without information and impeded their investigation."

"She came forward when she had useful information." Albus argued.

"I know, but that's not how he sees it."

"This is about her family!" Albus growled.

Hermione frowned. "Albus of course this is about her family. I'm on her side, but how she was raised is bound to lead to some questions. And she hid it from us…"

"Of course she hid it, because now that she's told everyone the Ministry has arrested her. It's about pinning the blame on someone other than themselves." Albus seethed. He was pissed at Atria, but that didn't mean he wanted to her to go to prison.

"Maybe you should go home and get some rest. We'll send for you when they're back." Hermione rubbed his back soothingly. Albus shook his head.

"Where's Amanda?"

"She went home a little while ago." Hermione said knowingly. "James and Lily are still here though. Hugo went to stay with Ron's parents until everything is sorted."

Albus took a deep breath. His temper was rising and he didn't want it to explode.

But it was too late. "Why wouldn't she tell me she was leaving?" He shouted and Aunt Hermione jumped. "There were things that I needed to tell her!"

"You can tell her when they get back."

"If they get back, you mean."

Hermione sighed. "We have to think positively."

"My girlfriend has decided to face the Death Eaters and assuming she survives that, she's going to be sent to Azkaban! I am not capable of thinking positively right now." Albus said louder than her meant to. Aunt Hermione didn't say anything and he felt guilty. He sighed, "I'm sorry, I know you must be upset about Rose."

"I'm upset about Rose and Atria… and a lot of things. This is going to be a trying time for all of us. But we have to hope for the best."

Albus looked at the floor. "I don't want to hope. I don't want to be disappointed when everything goes to hell."

Atria glanced around suspiciously, as they approached the front gate of her the house. She doubted that there were any Death Eaters lurking around, but just in case…

"Where is the house?" Scorpius squinted past the gate.

"Beyond the garden." Atria replied, then turned to the rest of the group. "Speaking of the gardens, look out for the rose bushes. They're enchanted and extremely dangerous."

Ron frowned. "Dangerous how?"

"Well, they have thorns that try to tear apart your skin, creating a thousand cuts that will slowly bleed you to death." She said with a falsely bright tone. Draco looked at Scorpius with a worried look, but the younger boy didn't seem to register how dangerous this was.

Atria looked at Scorpius's face. Hindsight, perhaps she should have seen that Scorpius was in love with Rose. Atria knew he loved her, just like she knew that Rose loved him, but she thought it was also equivalent to Albus's love for Rose and Scorpius's love for Amanda. It had never occurred to her that it would be romantic.

She laughed at the irony considering that was exactly what she and Albus had assumed, that their friends wouldn't suspect it. As it turned out Amanda had suspected it, and Scorpius was dealing with a similar situation with Rose.

"Why are you smiling?" Harry asked, giving Atria a questioning look.

She shook her head, but couldn't stop grinning. "I've had a pretty good life. If you think about all the love you all have given me… I've been luckier in these last few years than most people are in their whole lives." She sighed contently and extended her wand to the gate.

Immediately, a light shot out from her wand and her hand burned. The burning continued up her arm to her heart and she took a breath, calming the warmth of her heart. Coldness swept through her body and then the light died. The gate opened slowly, with heavy creaking sounds and it was all very ominous.

They sky was grey and stormy.

"Let's go." Atria lowered her wand and walked forward, preparing for the imminent attack of fauna.

"This feels… wrong." Scorpius muttered. Atria knew what he meant. There was something dead about the grounds, although everything was alive it seemed grey and impossibly depressing.

Atria continued down the stone path, gripping her wand tightly.

A scream ripped from behind them and Atria turn around and shot a sectumsempra at the plants that were attacking an Auror. It gave them a small reprieve, and Atria raced towards her house.

It was too far away though. Spells and curses were being shot at plants, but it did little to help. Atria felt a particularly painful scrape across her eye from where a torn had dragged through her skin. The was something painful about the muggle way of hurting, the way a simple cut could hurt more than a stunner.

As she took the front steps three at a time, she blasted the large french doors open.

She kept running past the foyer, wary about what happened last time: being swallowed by the floor. She turned around when she heard Harry yelp. Indeed, a black hole had opened up in the floor, as swirling pit of darkness. Atria had gotten a good look at it last time due to the fact that she was busy falling in it.

"What is that?" Draco shouted. Once all the Aurors were inside Atria closed the heavy doors with a flick of her wand. But there was still the problem of the black hole separating her from the rest of the party.

"The foyer likes to swallow people, hold them in the darkness, and then deposit them in a random place in the house." Atria explained and Draco's eyes widened. "It's too big for you to jump across." Atria said.

"Then how are we supposed to-"

The Auror was cut off but a bolt of rope being shot out of Scorpius's wand. It attached to the chandelier and he grabbed onto the rope, took a few steps back and then ran a couple of steps and swung over the black hole. He landed on the edge of where the floor was disappearing into blackness and Atria grabbed him and pulled him forward.

"Well, that's one way to do it." Atria grinned at Scorpius, but he merely looked impatiently at the rest of them.

"Come on!" He urged and looked between them and the corridors, no doubt mapping out a plan to get to Rose quicker.

Draco followed next and Harry went last after all the Aurors. When they were all across the black hole collapsed on itself. "Sure," Ron said, "now it goes away."

"Which way to the dungeon?" Harry said, breathing heavily.

Atria paused, glancing around the house. All the hallways looked different and she sighed, "I don't know the house changed."

"What do you mean?" Scorpius demanded. "You can't find Rose?"

Everyone looked at her expectantly. "I can it's just going to take some time. The house is like an evil version of Hogwarts… lot's of secrets."

"That reminds me… this is not a house." Scorpius said. "This is a fortress. How could you possibly have lived here? If the house changes…"

Atria shrugged and began walked down a corridor off the foyer. She wasn't exactly sure where they would end up, but they had to start somewhere. "I suppose I just got used to it. Or the house got used to us."

For a while they wandered around aimlessly, at one point passing Atria's old bedroom but she didn't say anything. Scorpius walked beside her, clearly agitated that they were so close yet so far.

"What are you going to do when we find them?" Scorpius asked as they passed by rows of doors that Atria was unfamiliar with.

Scor's question made her uncomfortable. "I don't know," she replied honestly. She had been thinking about it and too much of it was up to chance. She didn't know her mother anymore, she couldn't guess what Isis's reaction to her would be.

Atria wanted to believe that she could talk her mother down. She wanted to believe that her mother wouldn't actually hurt her, but she was thinking about the mother she had before her father's death. When she thought about the mom who had forced her to get the Dark Mark, who had done the cruciatus curse on her, the woman who relished in the torture of others… well, Atria gripped her wand more tightly.

She was pulled out her thoughts when a shadowy figure appeared at the end of the corridor. Everyone immediately went into defensive positions.

Sal stepped into the light and Scorpius growled.

"I knew it!" Atria said excitedly, keeping the end of her wand fixed on Sal. He chuckled at her stepped forward and two others came up behind him.

"You always were nosy." Sal sneered. "I'm going to enjoy killing you."

Atria grinned. "Oh, she didn't tell you?" She sang. Sal frowned but didn't take the bait. "How do you think I knew you were a Death Eater? Our situations are bit similar, don't you think? Or didn't my Isis Lestrange tell you she had a daughter?"

"Atria, we don't have time for this!" Ron hissed.

"You go." She snapped without looking away from Sal. "Scorpius, keep looking for Rose. Somewhere there should be an old stone staircase leading down to the dungeon." Scorpius hesitated, but then backed up slowly. The other Aurors prepared for a duel.

"You're lying." Sal said confidently.

"Am I? My mother's a metamorphmagus just like me." Atria changed her hair from blue to black and let her face take its normal shape. She knew she looked like a young Bellatrix Lestrange and Sal saw it too. His eyes widened a fraction despite his clear determination that he wasn't going to show emotion.

"And now you're with them?" Sal said wildly, his eyes ablaze with hatred. "Your mother will hate you."

Atria gritted her teeth. "Her opinion is no longer important to me."

"She's going to kill you." He taunted and Atria inhaled sharply. She didn't have a response to that so instead she flicked her wand and without muttering a word, a blue spark flew out and hit Sal sending him flying back.

"Avada Kevadra!" The other Death Eaters started shouting every curse in the book. Aurors countered their spells and tried to disarm them. Lights and colors were flying and Atria ducked and dodged curses.

She thought about Ron and Scorpius going to face her mother. She had to join them. Atria looked at Harry who was working with Draco to take down one of the Death Eaters. Sal was back in the fight a moment later and was clearly gunning for her.

"Harry, I have to help Scorpius!" She shouted over the explosions.

"Go! We can handle them." He replied and flung a hex at a Death Eater.

Atria took off and she heard Sal roar behind her, but she knew the Aurors would keep him occupied. She had to think, the house was changing probably because of all the new people, but there had to be a way to find the hidden staircase.

Normally it was off the main corridor of the west wing, but the kitchen was normally in the west wing and they had passed the kitchen ten minutes ago while they were in the north wing. Atria figured that was the best place to start. If the west wing and the north wing had been rearranged maybe the dungeon was now below the north wing.

But when she arrived to the main corridor of the north wing, there was no staircase. Atria groaned and thrust her fingers into her now red hair, pacing back and forth. She looked at the grand doors that led to flamboyant rooms and the pictures on the walls. She started down the corridor, thinking maybe it was in the south wing or east wing, because clearly it wasn't in the north wing.

Unless it was changing as she was searching in which case…

Hold on… Atria paused as she saw a painting of a long dark stone passage way. She had never seen that painting before and that wasn't unusual because there were so many, but it was strange to have a random picture of a stone hallway.

Atria's eyes widened, she slowly walked up to the large painting, as if afraid to hope that this was it. She didn't want to get too excited so she slowly reached out and touched the frame. Then she moved pulled the painting forward and it opened like a door.

The air rushed out of her lungs as it revealed a stone staircase at the end of the passageway. Now, she got excited because she heard voices at echoing through the tunnel. She rushed down the stairs, careful not to slips of the stone that was far too steep.

Like always, the entrance to the dungeon was dark but she could see light coming from the far side. Unfortunately the dungeon was so large so couldn't see anything in particular, but she heard Scorpius's voice.

There was some arguing and Atria ran on the tips of her toes. It would be better to get her mother by surprise. No doubt she was using Rose as a bargaining chip… if Rose was still alive. She lit her wand dimly and stayed close to the columns.

She kept her light pointed at the ground, waving it around slowly so that she could see where she was walking. As she got closer she heard two voices, two male voices and they seemed to be getting closer to her. She ducked behind one of the corridors when she heard an unfamiliar voice growl a threat.

She covered her nose, smelling a putrid stench and she noted a body lying against the wall of the dungeon. She wasn't the least bit surprised that the Death Eaters used this place to hold victims.

"Stay back or I'll-" Atria sprung out from behind the stone column, pointing her wand at the unfamiliar voice.

Atria's eyes widened and she saw the man gripping Rose, who was mostly unconscious, by the throat, with a wand held to her head. Scorpius and Ron were cautiously approaching them man, not wanting to startle him considering his leverage, but were clearly angling for a way to get Rose away from him.

And yet, all this faded from Atria's mind. "Daddy?" She whispered hoarsely, vaguely aware that she was smiling brokenly. Her father was alive! Granted her was about to kill Rose, but somehow all she could think about was that her dad was alive and her mother wasn't a killer.

It was irrational and a million thoughts crossed her mind. Like, why had her mom lied to her? She hadn't ever said outright that her father was dead, but it had been implied that she had offed him. Had her father just gotten sick of their family and decided to take off.

Except why was he back now, helping her mother?

"This is your father?" Scorpius choked. Atria hardly paid any attention to him.

"Where have you been? Why did you leave mum and me, but you're back now…" Her thoughts and words were completely scrambled. She had so many questions. "Daddy, let Rose go please!"

Her father looked at her with cold eyes. "Atria, princess, you must see how important this is! I thought better of you than to sink to their level." He case harsh looks at the two other men.

"Atria…" Ron said cautiously.

Atria looked at her father desperately. "Why would mum lie to me about you being dead? Why did you leave us?" She demanded. Her father's face softened.

"I never left you." He looked at her with clear and determined eyes.

Atria's mouth worked. "I thought mum killed you! I thought it drove her crazy, she completely changed after you left!" She shouted and anger boiled in her stomach. But something wasn't right…

Her dad looked at her with pity. "Atria, your mother couldn't have killed me if she tried." He said condescendingly. "And that made her weak. She was weakening you, confusing her priorities." He shook his head and dug his hands into Rose's throat. Scorpius took a step forward unknowingly, ready to pounce.

"I don't… that makes no sense!" Atria shouted, shaking her head frantically. As she did, she caught sight of the corpse. Her breath stopped. "No," she whispered, her voice cracking.

"Atria, what…"

She screamed over Scorpius, "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME!" Her father had the good sense to look alarmed, because if hadn't been for Rose, Atria would have killed him right there.

Instead, she flicked her wand, too horrified to mutter a curse, but it didn't matter. A gash opened on her father's hand, the one holding his wand. He immediately jerked his hand back and Atria lunged forward, knocking Rose away from him, tackling her father to the floor.

She was vaguely aware of Ron and Scorpius catching Rose, but all she could see was a haze of red around her father. He sent her flying off of him without saying anything and he raised his wand at her, looking frightened. Atria could only imagine how she looked, wild black hair, a look in eyes that would rival the deadliness of Bellatrix Lestrange, and a whole new level of despair.

Suddenly there was nothing to lose. "YOU KILLED MY MOTHER! Sectumsempra! Stupify! Crucio!" She shouted every curse that popped into her head, her actions fueled by rage.

Her father fired back with everything he had.

Scorpius and Ron were pulling Rose towards the exit. Atria concentrated on them leaving for a moment, so that the exit would appear in the stone wall. Scorpius turned back to look at her.

"GO!" She screamed.

"Your mother was weak! Her love was weakening you and I did what what necessary to keep that from happening." Her father shouted, sending silent curses her way. Atria ducked and rolled and sent a storm of fire at her dad.

"So what happened…" Atria screeched. "You pretended to be her?!"

Her father's hair went red and that only enraged Atria more. She wanted nothing to do with this man, no connection.

"I wanted to make you strong!" He hissed and she let out an open mouth sob.

"NO! YOU WANTED ME TO BE LIKE YOU! A killer." She snarled and whipped her wand around created a long whip that was aimed at decapitating her father.

"It looks like I succeeded, then." He said spitefully and flicked his wrist.

A stone bashed against her head, sending her stumbling to the ground. Atria spit blood out of her mouth and climbed to her feet. "Is this what you did to mum? You bashed her head in?" Atria touched her temple which was now bloody.

"SHE WAS ABANDONING ME! ABANDONING WHAT WE BELIEVED IN!" Her father's face was red with fury and his whole body was shaking. Atria laughed devilishly.

"Because you were wrong! BLOOD PURITY MEANS NOTHING!"

"It means everything! Magic should be kept in magical families. Otherwise we will become weak." Her father spat and he raised his wand.

"Do you think I'm weak?" Atria raised her eyebrows, breathing heavily.

Her father frowned. "I taught you to be strong."

"I'm not a pureblood."

He hesitated and then his resolved look came back. "Of course you are!"

"I'm not! Tom Riddle was a half blood and he's my grandfather! Bellatrix is my grandmother and Voldemort is my grandfather. Mum wasn't a pureblood and neither am I!" She seethed and her father roared viciously before letting loose a string of curses.

Atria felt the ground shake beneath her.

Her father's red curse collides with her blue one, she wasn't even sure what she had been think of when she cast the curse, only that her father was going to kill her. But something stronger was fueling Atria… revenge for her mother. She had loved her mum more than anything and he had taken it away from her!

The blue started to encompass the red sparks and her dad gritted his teeth. Atria narrowed her eyes and then flicked her wrist. The curse threw her father against the stone with a ringing crack.

Atria didn't realize for several moments that he was dead. But when she saw his open, lifeless eyes she lowered her wand.

She collapsed to the ground on, silent sobs racking her body. Even her cries sounded hoarse, like wailing whispers, and her head throbbed. Tears were falling from her eyes, but she didn't have the strength to wipe them away.

She looked between her father's body and her mother's corpse, which was mostly hidden by darkness. Atria knew it was a bad idea, but she stood up and went over to where her mother lay. She whispered, "lumos," and then looked at her mum.

Isis Lestrange was almost unrecognizable, except for the black hair that was dry and tangled. She was wearing one of her dresses and her skull was bashed in. Atria closed her eyes and took a deep breathing, trying to…

No, it was too late. She turned to the side and threw up. The gagging made her body tremble so much that she collapsed to the ground again. She wasn't sure how long she stayed there. She wanted to move her mum to a proper grave, but she felt the ground shake again.

Atria realized that the ground was literally shaking and the tunnel was vibrating, like something had exploded above them. She looked at her parents, thinking that their family home was being destroyed. It seemed so appropriate and Atria closed her eyes.

It was fitting that the first time they were all together… this would be the end result. One massive grave.

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Scorpius and Ron were on either side of Rose, dragging her through the corridors trying to find Harry, Draco, and the other Aurors. They ran into each other trying to escape the mansion.

The ground was shaking, pieces of the ceiling were falling and the house seemed ready to crumble into the ground at any minute. Scorpius was pretty sure this was corridor they had come down after getting past the foyer.

"Harry!" Ron exclaimed. The group of Aurors had a prisoner with them, one of the Death Eaters they had been battling before. Harry let out a relieved sigh that quickly turned sour when another quake shook the ground.

"What's happening?" Scorpius shouted over the loud ruckus.

"The house is going to come down we have to get out of here." Harry yelled and they all made for the front door. Scorpius decided it was faster if he just carried Rose, so he scooped her up and started sprinting down the steps and down the path. Everyone raced out of the house and Scorpius saw a side of the house crumble, then the freaking rose bush started attacking attacked.

A funny thought crossed his mind, running for his life. He was protecting his Rose from a bunch of roses. An Auror stumbled, but his father helped the woman up and then kept racing away from the impending explosion. Once they were out of the danger zone, Scorpius turned back.

He watched in horror, at Castel Lestrange collapsed on itself, the ground seemed to be swallowing the entire house. With the realization that Atria hadn't followed him and Ron out, he nearly dropped Rose. Instead he shoved her into the arms of whoever was closest.

"Scorpius!" He father shouted as he started to make a dash back to the house. Smoke and dust was rising from the pile of brick and stone. The mansion was completely razed. His father and an Auror held him back.

"You can't go back!" His father shouted, wrapping an arm around Scorpius's chest.

Scorpius struggled against the hold. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! Atria didn't make it!" The last part was shouted hoarsely and his voice sounded like a dreadful whisper. He breathed heavily as the last standing part of the house fell.

A burst of dust erupted and then… silence.

Scorpius squeezed his eyes shut.

Slowly the hands holding him back disappeared. He opened his eyes and looked for Rose. Her father was now holding her, setting her on the ground so his dad could look at her. He knelt next to her, brushing back pieces of her hair.

Her lips were blue and her cheek was cold. He looked at his father anxiously. "Will she be alright?" His father took her pulse and felt her forehead.

"We need to get her back to St. Mungo's. She's unconscious and it's worrying me that she hasn't woken up, even with all the noise." His father said and Scorpius's heart lurched. He had to tell her how he felt.

He need to tell her… his throat burned and his eyes prickled… he needed to tell her that Atria was sorry and that Atria loved her too. But going to Mungo's… that meant seeing Albus and Amanda, having to explain why Attie wasn't back with them.

Scorpius looked down at Rose. Today should have been a victory; they had taken down the deadliest Death Eater out there, probably dismantled the entire scheme, and had captured one Death Eater to take back for interoggation in case there was something they were missing. Yet, all Scor could think of was that his whole world had been turned upside down.

Atria's mother was dead, likely her father too, and Atria herself…

His vision got blurted and he stood up suddenly, taken a deep breath and blinking rapidly. "We should go." His voice sounded rough and broken.

Ron lifted Rose and they prepared to go back to St. Mungo's.


	36. Broken Bones and Shattered Hearts

They arrived at St. Mungo's in a swirl of shouts and demands. Draco was shouting commands at nurses, telling them to bring a gourney and to clear a surgery room. Scorpius's heart stopped when they wheeled her away, his father muttering things while rushing side by side with Rose in a room.

Hermione and Ginny showed up a few minutes later, both collapsing into their husbands.

Scorpius blinked away tears and then he felt a hand on his shoulder. His mum pulled him in a strong hug and for once he just leaned on her, completely dependent on her strength. James and Lily appeared in the edge of his vision and he closed his eyes.

"How is she?" Hermione asked Ron.

"Malfoy thinks she'll be okay." Ron said shakily and he didn't sound entirely convinced. "He thinks she has a pretty bad concussion, but we'll know more after the examination."

Scorpius looked at everyone, the Aurors, Harry, Ginny… he saw James looking around expectantly and knew immediately who the boy was searching for. He made eye contact with James and they didn't say anything.

James's green eyes pleaded with Scorpius and he eventually started shaking his his head in denial. Ginny pulled away from hugging Harry and looked around at the group that had returned.

"Where…" She didn't finish.

Everyone looked at the ground. It was Lily who finally let out a choked sob.

James didn't seem to be processing anything. "I have to… I have to owl Amanda. She'll want to be here when Rose wakes up. She'll want to see Attie when she gets back." James nodded absently and he turned away.

Harry reached out to his son, "James…" He said slowly, but James continued to shake his head.

"I have to tell Amanda…"

Ginny tried to hold him, but James pulled away and looked between his dad and Scorpius. He was looking for answers that Scorpius couldn't give him.

"You're back!" Albus ran up to them looking so relieved.

He looked between their faces and frowned. "Is Rose alright?" He demanded looking at Scorpius. Scorpius couldn't respond, the words were caught in his throat, and his eyes burned.

"Draco is looking at her now," Mrs. Malfoy seemed to be the only person who was capable of speech in that moment. Scorpius took a step towards his best friend and then hesitated. Albus looked around the crowd, but nobody looked at him. Except for his father.

Harry cleared his throat, "Albus, we need to talk." Harry Potter, the savior of the wizarding world's voice cracked on the last word. Albus backed away when his father tried to approach.

Instead he whipped around and punched a wall. Ginny let out a yelp and raced over to her son as he continued to drive his fist into the wall. It took Ginny, James, and another Auror to pull him away from the wall.

Eventually Albus let loose a roar and Scorpius went over to his best friend.

"Scorpius…" Albus said hopelessly. Scorpius put a hand on his shoulder and watched him completely break down. Sobs racked his body and he leaned his forehead against Scorpius's shoulders.

After that no one said anything. Everyone was waiting for Mr. Malfoy to come out and tell them how Rose was. The other Aurors dispersed, some needing medical attention. Albus was sitting in a waiting chair with the other kids, while Hermione paced back and forth nervously. Ginny had a hand on her brother's shoulder and Harry leaned against the wall with his eyes closed and glasses askew.

Scorpius was observing Albus carefully. He seemed to just be staring into space, no emotions on his face and no hope. When heavy footsteps pounded down the hall, Scorpius looked up. Amanda was racing towards them, her chest heaving.

She came to a jerky halt, bending over to catch her breath. Her eyes were bright and she looked around excitedly, until she saw everyone's expressions.

"Is Rose alright?" She asked urgently.

"We're waiting, but hopeful." Hermione replied tightly and then looked at Albus with a look of sympathy. Amanda nodded and let out a breath of relief, tilted her head back and smiled.

Scorpius let out a choked breath. "Amanda…"

She looked at him and the smile slipped from her face. "What's wrong?" Her eyes shot around and landed on James. James looked at his hands, his eyes bloodshot and Amanda looked around the room again, this time looking for something, or someone, in particular.

Immediately, her guards went up and she became stiff. "Where's Atria?"

She looked at Albus but he wasn't looking at anything, his eyes were unfocused and unemotional now. James stood up shakily and went over to Amanda, who backed away from him. He followed her until she was trapped between the wall and his body, then James wrapped his arms around her.

Amanda had no choice but to slowly sink into his embrace. She tried to pull away, but the emotion seemed to build to the point where she looked like she needed help standing upright.

James leaned back against the wall, cradling Amanda's head to his chest, stroking her hair with his hand. James seemed sturdier than before, like helping Amanda gave him strength.

A moment later, Mr. Malfoy came out of the surgery room with a relieved yet grim face.

Scorpius stood up on shaky legs. His father said, "She's going to be fine. She had some internal bleeding and a very bad concussion, but nothing that can't be healed. She'll be sore for a while on account of several bruised ribs and a fractured collarbone, but I expect she'll make a full recovery in a couple of weeks."

Scorpius looked around. Everyone seemed vaguely relieved but there was a cloud over this happy moment. No one seemed capable of smiling.

"Can we go in?" Ron asked. Mr. Malfoy nodded and smiled at Scorpius, who went over to his father.

"You should go in." His father said softly.

Scorpius's throat burned. "When will she be awake?" He sounded like he had just swallowed nails, but he doubted that was going to go away until Rose was up, talking, walking, and out of this stupid hospital.

"It's difficult to say. It could be in six hours or it could be in sixteen hours. She needs to sleep and they pain potion we've given her should help her relax." His father told him. Scorpius nodded absently.

"How… how much pain was she in?" His voice cracked.

His father hesitated, "Based on the concussion I'd say she was conscious for very little and the pain wouldn't have been overwhelming in her state."

"Is she going to be alright? Her brain, I mean?" For some reason it worried him that her brain might be damaged. That was Rose's most sacred part of her body and he couldn't imagine her without also imagining her intelligence.

"I think so."

"So much of this is up in the air." Scorpius groaned and thrust his fingers into his hair. Rose's family was going into the room and Scorpius watched them. Amanda was still leaning on James, and he lead her to see Rose.

"Go see her." His father urging and then went over to his mum.

Scorpius approached the door slowly and peeked in. Hermione and Ron we standing next to the bed and then Ginny was standing at the end of the bed beside Harry.

Albus's eyes were closed and his lips were trembling in an almost unnoticeable way. Hermione suddenly looked up at Scorpius and gave him a wobbly smile.

"Come closer." She urged and he took a few steps into the room. Amanda nudged him closer to the bed. Surprisingly, Ron moved over to make room for Scorpius. He wasn't sure what to think, but in that moment he was simply grateful to see Rose.

Bruised covered his face, cuts on her nose, lips and temple, and her breathing seemed shallow. Scorpius looked down at one of her hands that was lying outside of the bed sheets. He slowly ran his index finger over her hand, and then let all his fingertips brush her skin.

"Mom and dad are coming with Hugo," Ginny said quietly to Ron. "I think George and Dominique are coming soon as well. Everyone else is a bit farther away and preoccupied."

No one said anything for a while. Eventually Albus shook his head and left the room, like he couldn't bare it anymore. Ginny and Harry left to speak with family and Ministry officials. Amanda had fallen asleep in a chair and despite Hermione's protests about his leg, he carried her to a different room.

"We should go see Hugo and explain what's happened," Hermione said softly, brushing a piece of hair from Rose's face. Ron swallowed and nodded mutely, then looked at Scorpius and sent him a silent plea to take care of Rose.

Scorpius smiled in response. He hadn't moved from where he had been standing for the past half an hour. Lily followed the pair out and Scorpius was left alone with Rose. He continued to stand by her side.

"Rose," he sniffed, "I don't know if you can hear me, but… I need you. Please wake up soon, because I'm losing my mind. There's so many things I want to tell you, so many questions I have." He said quietly, running his fingers over her nose and her cheeks. "Mostly I just want to know that you're okay." He said thickly and released a breath.

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Alvarez came up to the family as they were discussing the situation, in the hallway.

"Congratulations on rescuing Rose." He said cheerfully and no one was quite sure how to respond to that. Obviously, this was not a cheerful time.

Ron cleared his throat, knowing something had to be said. "We're happy to have her back." He said in a neutral tone.

Alvarez smiled, "Yes, I hear we captured a Death Eater and dismantled their organization?"

Harry frowned, but it was Ginny who spoke. "Well, as I'm sure you heard it was not a Lestrange that was leading the Death Eaters."

"No, it was a man, not her mother. I'm still a bit unclear on the details however…" Alvarez sighed. "But all in all, I think we can consider the mission a success." Albus's head snapped up and James grabbed Amanda's shoulders as she surged forward, no doubt to punch the idiotic man.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, no one was standing close to Albus so he got a few quick steps in before throwing a punched at Alvarez. Hermione gasped, Ginny turned away to hide a grin, and George outright laughed.

Alvarez stumbled back, looking shocked.

Albus seethed as Harry and Ron held him back. "She was family! Atria was my girlfriend and you're saying the mission was a success? We all loved her and she's gone because of your stupid mission! DO YOU EVEN CARE?" Albus shouted and Alvarez shrank back then quickly corrected himself.

"She was a Death Eater and maybe if she had come forward sooner-"

"You would have convicted her anyways," Lily said softly, but her eyes were burning with emotions. Everyone was surprised to hear the young girl talking so steadily. She took a step towards Alvarez, getting in his line of vision so that he would have to look at her. "You have no idea what she went through. Can you imagine having to hide who you are for fear of being persecuted? You would have skewered her simply to prove to the public that you were making progress.

"And that's exactly what you're doing now," Lily glared at the man. "You want to use her to prove a point. I bet you've already written up your statement to the Daily Prophet about how 'if she had come forward, she held the investigation back, she could have been hiding something'..." Lily mocked scathingly in a quiet voice. Alvarez glared back at her, while everyone else looked between them. "But you're not going to publish any of that." Her tone suddenly became pleasant.

"No?" Alvarez cocked his eyebrow.

Lily pursed her lips. "No. Because if you do, I'm going to the Daily Prophet and telling the world about how you basically sentenced a student, my sister, to death without a trial. You knew what the outcome of this would be and you urged it on. Then I'm going to say how she was afraid to come forward because of prejudice within the Ministry. And to top it off… the reason she's gone is because you failed in your duty to protect the people. If you had had more security at the ball, no of this would have happened. Rose Weasley was taken and beaten because of your incompetence."

Everyone stared at Lily and then looked at Alvarez. He was clearly trying to weigh his options and Lily saw that.

She smirked. "Do you really want to go against the Potter's, the Weasley's," she paused and glanced at Mr. Malfoy, "and the Malfoy's? You're trying to save face and we're willing to help you. After all it was you who sanctioned this mission, but it was Atria who led you straight to the lion's den. Everyone can come out clean… or you can come out dirty, your choice." Lily spoke so calmly that judging from her tone you would have thought she was simply making a comment about the weather, not threatening the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Alvarez's jaw worked and then he looked at the ground. "I'll release a statement saying that she was very helpful in ending our investigation." He gritted out.

Amanda pulled away from James, who was still holding her back. "And it might be nice to add in something about how prejudice works both ways. Mrs. Weasley is proof that muggleborns can be just as brilliant as purebloods and Atria is proof that purebloods can be kind and loyal. Despite how Atria was raised," Amanda took a deep breath, "she was a good person."

Albus jerked at Amanda's use of the past tense. Alvarez gave a curt nod and then stomped away. Hermione looked at Amanda and Lily.

"I am so proud of you both." She said with teary eyes.

"Pretty badass if you ask me," George agreed and Hermione laughed while quickly wiping under her eyes. "But I'm still very confused about everything."

"Me too actually," Amanda said questioningly.

They hadn't really spoken about the events that had occurred in the dungeon. Only that it wasn't Atria's mum, which Ron had told Harry as they were rushing to St. Mungo's. In fact, Ron nor Scorpius had actually clarified any of the details. In the hours while planning the attack, Atria had told Harry that her mum killed her father.

But Ron and Scorpius had yet to explain that wasn't true.

"We found Rose unconscious and the man knew we were coming. We were trying to get Rose away from him and sometime during that Atria came down into the dungeon. At this point, we didn't know that Atria's mum was dead-"

"Her mum's dead?" Amanda blurted.

Harry frowned, "This is the part I'm confused about… Atria said-"

"She didn't know." Ron interrupted. "She thought that her mum killed her father. But really… it was the other way around. She told you that her mother changed after that and she thought it was because killing changed a person, but her father had been pretending to be her mum."

"Oh Merlin." Amanda closed her eyes, imagining what Atria must have felt.

"You should have seen the look on her face when she saw her father. She thought… I dunno, but she looked happy like for a second she forgot about everything. And then… she saw the corpse." Ron shuddered.

Hermione's eyes widened. "You mean…"

"Her father left the body in the dungeon, and it was pretty clear that the woman had been brutally beaten. Atria broke," Ron's voice cracked, "she was ready to kill her dad in that moment and… she might have, but then the house came down. She had told us to leave and we thought she would be right behind, but looking back… you could see in her eyes that she wasn't leaving until the job was finished, even if that meant…" He didn't need to continue, everyone understood the unspoken words.

And Albus crumbled. He sunk to the floor, Harry eased him down, and started breathing heavily, like there wasn't enough air in the room.

"Albus," Ginny went down next to her son.

He shook his head, "All I can think about is how much pain she must have been in." His throat burned and he knew he was tearing up for the second time in the last hour, but he hardly cared.

And for some reason all her could think of was that Christmas was ruined forever. Albus would never be able to get through another Christmas without thinking of Atria and regretting that he never told her how much he loved her.

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Seven hours later, Amanda and Albus were sitting with Hugo and the senior Weasleys, Harry and Charlie were looking at the statement that Alvarez had drafted, James was asleep in the waiting room and Ron and Hermione were speaking with Draco about when Rose could come home.

Scorpius was still sitting with Rose, he had dragged the chair over to her bed and let his head fall into his folded arms on the bed. One of his hands was linked lazily with Rose and he was waiting for her parents and his father to come in and tell them what was going to happen after she woke up.

He knew it was unreasonable, but not unwarranted, that he wanted to stay by her side for the next few days. Obviously she would either go home with her parents or go to the Burrow. Scorpius had overheard chatter about everyone staying at the Burrow, and he wanted to be there even though the invite probably didn't extend past the family.

He wondered what Amanda would do. He couldn't imagine her just going home and finishing winter break alone and he didn't want to either. Scorpius had the feeling that someone was going to need to keep an eye on Albus and it would have to be outside their family.

When he heard a long sigh, followed by an uncomfortable groan, Scorpius's head shot up. Rose's head was turning back and forth and her eyes were fluttering.

He gripped her hand tighter. "Rose?"

Her eyes slowly opened and she blinked several times. "Scorpius?" He hated how raspy and cracked her voice sounded.

"Rose, love, I'm here." He leaned closer to her and brushed his other hand across her cheek. She looked at him and then looked around, frowning.

"Am I… am I in St. Mungo's?" Her voice was so raw, it broke his heart.

Scorpius nodded and Rose suddenly looked alarmed. She struggled to lean upright, but Scorpius eased her back. "Rose, don't move so much!" He chastised her.

"No! I have to tell Atria… it's not her mum! It's her father," She breathed heavily, "he's… he's horrible and she needs-"

"Rose, calm down, we know it's not her mother." He said gently and thankfully she stopped trying to move.

"You know about her? She's Bellatrix Lestrange's granddaughter." Rose said quietly as if she was processing the information for the first time, but clearly Atria's father had talked to her. "He's a metamorphmagus."

"What?"

Rose cleared her throat, but it didn't help. "Her father. That's how he was able to pretend to be her mum and how he got into the Ministry."

"He told you this?"

Rose closed her eyes and sunk into the pillow. "Not at first… he got angry when I mentioned Attie. He was horrified that she would be friends with half bloods and muggleborns and he said that she was weak. It was really confusing at first, but looking back it all makes sense. He would refer to Isis Lestrange as 'her mother' and at first I thought he was talking about himself in third person, because he would refer to Atria as his daughter." She took a deep breath, as if talking had tired her out.

"You should rest."

"Later," Rose said and opened her eyes. "He said that Atria's love for her mum made her weak. That's why he killed his wife, because he thought she was weak and was getting in the way of the pureblood agenda." Scorpius pressed his lips together.

"Rose, there's something you should know." He waited for her to say something, anything to put off what she needed to know. Instead, she just waited expectantly, looking at him with her bright blue eyes. "When we got you out… well your dad and I were carrying you out of the dungeon, but Atria stayed behind to fight her father. She was furious…"

"Did she see her mother's body?" Rose whispered.

Scorpius nodded. "I've never seen someone so devastated. She told us to go. When we were leaving the house started coming down," his throat started to close and he had to pause to take a breath, "and Atria… she was still in the dungeon with her dad."

Rose's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"She didn't make it out."

Rose let out a choked gasp that caught on a sob. Her chest started heaving and tears spilled from her eyes. "This is all my fault." Her lips trembled and Scorpius put her hand on her cheek.

"It's not!" He said firmly. "This is in no way your fault. Listen to me," he forced her to look at him when she tried to pull away. "It's not your fault. There's blame to go around for everyone but you."

Rose's let out a breathy sob, "If she hadn't been trying to save me-"

"You were taken because of her mother- well, father, and she wanted to help you. Honestly, I think it was finding out her mother is dead that broke her. Her eyes… you could see that that was the end for her. It was her dad's fault."

She inhaled deeply through her nose, pressing her lips together to stifle the crying.

"What are we supposed to do?" Her voice cracked. "It's Christmas and… and I feel like I'm never going to be happy again. How are we supposed to go back to school without her?"

Scorpius didn't have an answer for her because he had been asking himself those same questions. He didn't respond, he only brushed her face lightly, swiping away some tears.

"I should get your parents," Scorpius started to pull away, but Rose grabbed his hand and then winced like she regretted the jerky movement.

"No, just stay for a little while longer. I don't feel like dealing with my family right now."

"Are you sure?"

Rose nodded and cleared her throat. "When I was in that place I thought about you. I wanted to see you and I knew you would come for me."

A knot lodged in Scorpius's throat and his eyes burned. "Of course I came for you. You… you're my best friend." He silently cursed himself. If there was ever an opportune moment for confessing his feelings that was it.

Rose smiled. "You're my best friend too."

He knew she meant it in a good way, but it was like a knife in his heart.

"Sal was working with the Death Eaters." Why did his brain think of the stupidest things to say. But Rose didn't seem concerned with his sudden topic change.

"What? But…"

"Apparently Atria and Amanda suspected it for a while. He was at Atria's house when we rescued you and it was very clear that he was in on everything."

"I feel so stupid." Rose crinkled up her nose. "Merlin, what did he want with me? Was it him who put the Dark Mark over the school and killed that second year?"

"There's still some unclear things. The Aurors checked his wand and it was clear, but Amanda said it was him who poisoned her. Or well… he made a joke about it and she pretty much took that as confirmation."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Rose gasped.

"Amanda said Atria didn't want you to feel like they were against him. Especially considering they didn't actually have proof. They didn't want you to turn against him and then resent them later if we found out he was just another bloke trying to get on with you."

"Someone should have told me!"

"I agree."

Rose took some deep breaths to calm down. "The whole world is falling apart," she whispered after a moment.

Scorpius sighed, "I'm really worried about Albus."

"Why?" Rose blinked and Scorpius's eyes widened. He had forgotten she hadn't been here when the news about their relationship broke. It was getting difficult to keep track of who knew what.

He cleared his throat, "Well, as it turns out… they were seeing each other."

Rose's jaw dropped. "What? No! You can't be serious!" A smiled played on her lips and for once, it was genuine and unforced, not tinged by sadness.

"Yep, apparently they had been seeing each other for a few months and were actually pretty serious." They both laughed for a few moments.

Rose sobered, "Oh, Al…"

It was heartbreaking that just when things were starting to come together, they fell apart.

"He… Merlin, his face was destroyed and broken. I'm scared of what he might do, I think everyone is."

"We're all hurting. This is too much to process."

"I think he loved her," Scorpius said quietly.

"We all do… did."

Scorpius pressed his lips together. "But it's different, being in love versus platonic love. When your other half is gone… it's like your heart stops and you forget what it's like to be happy. Everything only goes back to normal when you see them again." Rose stared at him and he gripped her hand.

"We'll help him get through this."

"Broken bones can be helped… but broken hearts aren't so easy."


	37. Favors and Lovers

**For some reason I had a dream that I got a bad review on this chapter. The review was something like 'this was unnecessary and boring.' I hadn't even finished the chapter when I got that dream, so it was really odd. Anyways, sooth the doubt that has been planted in my mind by leaving a review if you liked it. Leave a review if you didn't like it too. - Alex**

Rose was cleared to go home sometime around eight o'clock that evening. It took some convincing, but Mr. Malfoy eventually agreed that there was nothing more that could be done for Rose at St. Mungo's. He had given her strict instruction not to do any strenuous tasks and to eat light foods.

Christmas effectively cancelled, but all the family was still fathered at the Burrow. The Potter's were staying there for an undetermined amount of time, probably until the kids went back to school so that Harry and Ginny could clear out Atria's room and put her things in storage.

Hermione thought it would be best if their family stayed at the Burrow as well. Grandma Weasley was heating up some of the soup that they were supposed to have eaten for dinner. Rose mostly ate broth and drank orange juice. Almost everyone else was having some type of alcohol.

She wanted to say something to Albus, but he was acting distant. It didn't take her long to figure out that a part of him blames her for Atria's death, even if that part wasn't conscious. Rose knew he was happy to have her home, but there was a reminder at the sight of her that his love was gone.

This continued to the next day. Rose had had a difficult time falling asleep and when she woke up she was sore and hungry. She hadn't eaten a proper meal in over two days and her stomach was started to cramp.

When she went down to the kitchen she found her mum. No one else seemed to be awake and she imagined that they were all catching up on the sleep they had missed. She knew they all had trouble falling asleep last night, but once asleep they were out for good.

Her mother perked up when she saw Rose. "How are you feeling?" She asked softly and pulled a chair back at the table. Rose sat down carefully next to her mom, paying special attention not to make any jerky movements.

"I'm a little sore, but mostly I'm hungry."

Hermione brushed some hair off Rose's shoulder. "How about I make you some toast and hot chocolate?" She stood up as Rose made a sound of agreement. She hoped no one heard them and woke up.

As Rose was thinking, she realized how much she was dreading dealing with the family. Before she had left the hospital there had been all kinds of questions and Rose knew there were more coming.

"Mum," Rose said slowly.

"Yes, love?"

"Do you think I could go to Malfoy Manor?"

Her mum looked over her shoulder in surprise and stopped fiddling with the bread. "Today?" Rose nodded mutely. "Why?"

Her blushed. "I just don't feel like dealing with the family." Hermione frowned. "I just mean that I need some alone time."

"You're going to visit with Scorpius for alone time?" Her mum raised her eyebrows and Rose tried to think of the best way the explain it. Scorpius was her rock. He was the thing that kept her centered and standing and she especially needed him today.

"I just… he…" she struggled to find the words. "Even if we just sit in silence I know he understands what I need. Today I need someone who understands me." She bit her lip. "And technically I'm seventeen so you can't stop me." She added and Hermione gave a short laugh.

"Everyone will wonder why you've left."

"Tell them I needed a break."

"You haven't even been here a day."

"Will you let me?" Rose pressed. Hermione placed her hands on her hips.

She sighed, "You just want to go for today?"

Rose cringed, "Well, I was hoping you might let me spend a few days there."

Hermione made an indignant noise of protest. Rose continued before her mum could say anything, "Please, and Mr. Malfoy will be there in case I feel ill or something. I just need a few days to decompress." She said quickly.

"Are you sure that's all?"

Rose paused, "Albus doesn't want to see me." The words slipped from her mouth.

Her mom came over to her. "Oh Rose, that's not true-"

"Yes, it is. I'm a reminder and I think he needs a few days too and I don't feel like having that on my back right now." Her throat got tight and she hadn't even realized she was becoming emotional.

Her father walked in just as Hermione looked like she was about to cave. Rose's shoulders drooped. "Let's ask your dad," Her mum suggested.

Her dad came over and kissed her on the forehead. "Ask me what?"

"Rose wants to spend a few days at Scorpius's house."

Rose blinked innocently at her father and bit her lip. "I just want to get away."

Her dad didn't say anything for a few moments. He looked at her thoughtfully and Rose gave him a doe-eyed look. "That might be a good idea." Ron said slowly and Rose let out a surprised noise. She carefully hugged him.

"Thank you, daddy!"

He laughed. "If it will make you this happy… but you need to write to the Malfoys and ask. We can hardly just send you over unannounced." Rose jumped up, not bothered by the aching in her legs.

"I'll write immediately. When can I go?"

"As soon as we have a response." Hermione said. Rose nodded and her head throbbed slightly, but she quickly walked out of the kitchen and back to her room. She usually had to share with Lily, but this time she had been given her own room.

She wrote a quick letter to Scorpius, hoping he would respond quickly.

_Dear Scorpius, _

_ Can I come stay at yours for a few days? I know this is random but I need to get away. _

_ Love, Rose_

She sent it off within five minutes and then glanced at the clock. It wasn't even seven thirty yet. She hadn't realized it was quite so early and she hoped she wasn't waking Scorpius up, but knowing him she probably was. His house wasn't that far away, but it seemed like it would be forever until he replied.

Rose was hoping to be gone before anyone else got up. She packed a bag, operating under the assumption that Scorpius and his parents would say that she could come over. She kept it simple: toothbrush, pajamas, one change of cloths, and several undergarments. Packing was a methodical task and for some reason it made her feel better.

It was just a normal day and she was packing an overnight bag. At least she could pretend that was true for a little while. An hour later Rose glanced at the clock and she knew if was irrational to expect a response to quick. Her owl probably hadn't even arrived at his house yet. She sat on her bed and waiting.

She lasted all of ten minutes. Rose bit her lip and then took a piece of paper from her school bag, Scorpius's notes which she had borrowed to compare. She went downstairs to her parents. They were speaking softly in the kitchen and stopped as soon as they heard her footsteps. Rose noticed Charlie in the living room but snuck past him.

"He already replied?" Her father's eyebrows shot up. Rose gave him a casual look, something she had learned from Atria. Whenever you're lying look nonchalant and open.

Rose held up a page of the notes so they could see it wasn't her parchment. She had folded it to look like an opened letter and her parents seemed fooled. "I'm all ready to go. I'll floo directly to their house and owl you when I'm there." She said with confidence. Something else Attie taught her: lie with confidence. Suddenly everything Atria had ever said and done made sense.

Rose remember a particular time when Atria had said, "Just imagine that I'm telling you a giant lie. I would start by saying something outrageous like… I come from a long line of killers and murders, and you would laugh and brush it off. But it's actually true. You would never suspect it because I told it to your face and said it like a joke." Rose had laughed at the time, thinking how random and hilarious that was. Like, where did she come up with this stuff.

She had been explaining how to lie by telling the truth and in that joke she actually had been telling the truth.

This made Rose's brain hurt even more.

"Will you be alright? I'll walk you to the fireplace-"

"Mum, the fireplace is in the next room, I hardly need an escort." Rose scoffed.

Ron jumped up suddenly, "We never gave you your Christmas present!"

"It's alright. We'll have a big family celebration when I get back." Rose said quickly, simply to appease them. She thought about the present she had packed for Scorpius. She desperately hoped he liked it.

Her parents hugged her gingerly and Rose gripped the straps of her backpack as she went into the dining room. She took a handful of the green powder and stepped into the fireplace.

"Scorpius Malfoy's room!"

She always closed her eyes when she flooed. When she opened them she had materialized in Scorpius's bedroom. She was still amazed that he had a fireplace in his bedroom, right in front of the sitting room.

Rose stepped out of the fireplace and looked up just in time to see Scorpius roll over on his king sized bed. The grey canopy obstructed her view slightly, the thin translucent material making it difficult to see him in detail. She stepped quietly through the sitting room and climbed the stairs that led to the platform his bed rested on.

The canopy was pinned back on the left side of the bed. That was probably the side he got in and out of, she thought. Rose blushed slightly at the sight of his sprawled out on his stomach. The duvet was pulled halfway up his bare back, showing off his muscled shoulders.

Quidditch workouts had certainly been kind to him.

Realized she was standing there ogling him, she whispered, "Scorpius." He didn't move.

"Scorpius," Rose whispered urgently, pushing down on the edge of the bed. He made a light mewing sound, but didn't move.

Growing impatient, Rose slapped his shoulder. "Scorpius!" He jerked up, his arms pushed the upper half of his body of the bed. He blinked several times and looked around with sleepy eyes.

"Rose?" His said with a yawn.

She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Hey."

He looked around once more. "What… what are you going here?"

She played with the strap of her backpack. "I was wondering if I could stay here for a few days." She said quietly, her lower lips trembling. She wasn't sure when the emotions started to bubble up, but they were reaching the surface now.

He rolled over and sat up, swiping a hand down his face. She looked at the front of his body and admired his abs. For a moment, he took her mind off of her feelings.

"Are you okay?" He demanded.

She nodded, but a knot lodged in her throat. "I just had to get away. I knew everyone was going to be crazy today and I had to get away before it started." She said quietly, her voice dangerously close to breaking.

He gave her a soft look. "I'm glad you came here. What time is it?"

"Around eight thirty I think. Sorry I came so early, but I wanted to leave before everyone woke up."

"No one knows you're here?" Scorpius sounded alarmed.

"My parents know. I owled you, by the way. But I couldn't wait for your response. If my parents ask, your parents said it was totally alright if I spent a few days here."

His eyes widened, "A few days?"

Rose flushed, "If that's alright with you. And your parents."

"It's completely fine, I just thought you might want to spend some time with your family." He looked sideways at her and she sighed.

"Albus is being distant. Everyone is so depressed about Atria, even though no one talks about it. It's like an invisible shadow over the house. Last night was… difficult. I need to be happy for a little while."

Scorpius smiled, "I would do anything to make you happy."

Rose's vision blurred and she blinked rapidly, but despite the tears threatening to fall, she was very happy in that moment. She yawned widely and Scorpius chuckled.

"Do you want to go back to sleep? I couldn't fall asleep until early this morning." Scorpius laid back down and looked at Rose expectantly. Did he want her to get in bed with him? Rose wasn't going to ask questions because she really needed to be close to him.

She dropped her backpack and kicked off her slippers. She hadn't bothered to change out of her pajamas, so she was wearing a comfortable t-shirt and boxer shorts. Silently, she slipped between the bed sheets.

Rose glanced over at Scorpius who was watching her with a tried, but steady gaze. She pulled the covers up to her shin and snuggled in.

"You look tired." Scorpius said quietly. She looked sideways at him.

"I am." She admitted. "I slept for so long yesterday, I feel like I shouldn't be tired."

Scorpius rolled on his side and propped his head up on his hand. "You were unconscious, not asleep. After everything you went through, it's perfectly reasonable to be tired."

Rose laughed dryly. "I was gone for less than twelve hours. It seems silly that everyone is fussing over me."

Scorpius frowned, "You shouldn't make light of it."

She smiled and her breath left her in a choked gasp. "I don't know what else to do." Tears clogged her throat and Scorpius reached out to her and pulled her against him. He held her in his arms and cradled her against his chest. He muttered calming words and ran a soothing hand up and down her back.

Rose nestled into him, pressing her face against his skin and smushing her arms between them. She wasn't really crying, more like hyperventilating and releasing steam. She hiccupped on a breath.

Scorpius rested his chin on her head. "Are you comparing yourself to Atria?" He asked after a moment. Rose paused. She hadn't thought about it that way, but now that she did, it seemed silly that after everything Atria had been through, she was the one receiving all the pity.

"Atria should be here. Everyone should be fawning over her and asking if she's alright. And she would say that she's fine, but secretly we all know that she's hurting. She would put on a brave face and crack jokes with Uncle George and… and…" By this time, Rose had worked herself into a full sob fest. She spoke through her ragged breathing, "Albus would make sure that she's alright and everything would go back to normal. Atria would talk about everything I went through. She would feel guilty, but I would tell her… I would tell her that it's not her fault." She squeezed her eyes together as tears poured out.

Scorpius held her tightly. "She loved you. She wanted me to tell you that." Rose sobbed harder.

"And who's going to take care of her bloody cat? None of us are good with animals!" She cried hysterically. Was this the most important thing that moment? No, but for some reason it seemed pressing. Scorpius chuckled.

"I'm sure we can figure it out. Or give it to Hagrid."

Rose laughed through her tears and she clutched Scorpius harder. "I need you." She whispered. "It seems silly to be dependent on another person, but you keep me strong." Scorpius cleared his throat and didn't say anything for several moments. She waited for his response unsure of what she wanted him to say.

Finally he said in a voice thick with emotion, "I want to be there for you. No matter what, I want to be the person you go to when your sad. I want to be the first person you tell exciting news to." Rose wanted to tilt her head back to look at him, but his chin was resting on her head and he held her so tightly that she couldn't move.

And she absolutely loved it. Eventually, her heart beat slowed down and her breathing evened. She wanted to stay awake, but her eyes started drooping.

"Go to sleep, Rose." Scorpius whispered as if he knew what she was thinking.

The last thing she felt before fading into sleep was his hand trailing up and down her back and something, his lips, brush across her forehead.

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Scorpius blinked several times and went to roll over, but something, or someone, was tangled around him. It took a moment for everything that had happened earlier that morning to come back. He smiled when he looked down at Rose.

He was lying on his back and she was curled into his side, her head resting on his chest. He had an arm around her, she had one arm lying across his chest, and she had a leg hook in between his legs. Scorpius let his head fall back into the pill, careful not to disturb Rose, and grinned contently. He could wake up like this for the rest of his life.

He looked at the decorative clock hanging on the wall. It was nearly noon, but he didn't want to get up. Scorpius never wanted to leave Rose's arms.

He lay there for a few minutes, running his finger over her hand, brushing pieces of her hair… basically touching any part of her he could reach. The soft smile stayed on his face and widened when he thought about Rose had said last night. She needed him. He was the person she came to when she needed to be safe.

When everyone else was too much, Scorpius was the one person she could stand.

When her head started to turn, Scorpius stopped caressing her. She arched her back, like she was trying to stretch, but all it did was press her breasts against his side. And that brought him to his next train of thought.

Scorpius was lying in bed with the woman he loved. They were curled up together, Scorpius without a shirt and Rose in cute little pajamas. He hadn't realized immediately, but now all he could focus on was his erection. He had a deep need to kiss her and love her.

And she was waking up.

"Scorpius?" She said sleepily, tilting her head back to look at him.

"Yea," He replied softly, angling his body so that she couldn't feel what was happening at his hips. He thought she would wake up and pull away, but she just snuggled tighter at the sound of his voice.

"What time is it?"

"Almost noon."

Rose's eyes widened. "I have to owl my parents. And shower." Thank you Merlin for that image. Now he really needed to keep her away from his hips, because there was no missing how turned on he was at the moment.

"Uh… sure. Whatever you need." He said quickly, coughing a bit. His throat was tight and for once, it wasn't from sadness of tears.

"I didn't shower yesterday. When I got home I was too tired and I would have needed help, but everyone was so busy…"

Scorpius swallowed. "Do you still need help?"

"No, I'm feeling a lot better now that I've had a good sleep."

"Good, I'm glad you're feeling better." But sad that she didn't need help with the shower.

"Sorry, I'm probably getting you and your wonderful sheets all dirty."

He laughed, "Don't worry. There are more important things that clean sheets." That sounded dirtier than he meant, but luckily she didn't seem to notice.

Neither of them made a move to get up. They stayed wrapped in each other's arms for a few more minutes, which was completely fine with Scorpius. When Rose started to pull back he let her go, but it physically hurt him to let go of her. It literally made his chest ache. As she tried to tame her wild hair, he watched with an amused smile on his face. He folded his arms behind his head and watched as she rolled out of bed.

He had never seen her hair so free and sexy. The 'I just got out of bed' look definitely worked for her. She stretched her arms above her head slowly, as if she was testing how much movement her sore body could handle.

"Is that the bathroom?" Rose pointed to the door next of the sitting room. Scorpius shook his head.

"No, that's my closet."

Rose stared at him for a moment and looked at his dresser which lined one wall. "You have enough clothes to fill that big dresser and a closet?" Scorpius nodded, slightly embarrassed. And she would discovered that his bathroom counter was covered with hair products and other unmanly things.

"Well, the dresser is casual clothes and the closet is formal clothes. I can't exactly fold a suit, can I?"

Rose laughed, "I suppose not."

"That's the bathroom." He point to a door opposite the one to enter his room.

"Thanks. I'm going to shower."

Scorpius swallowed thickly. "Yeah, you should find everything you need in there. The house elves always stock the closet with plenty of towels."

"Your bathroom has a closet too?" Rose raised her eyebrows.

"Well… it's like a supply closet. There some first aid stuff in there, some potions for stomach aches…"

"Hair products…" Rose sang teasingly.

Scorpius smiled. "Just a few. Then there's towels and extra sheets."

Rose laughed and shook her head. "Amazing." She started walking towards the bathroom and then paused. "Do you think this is what it was like for Attie? I mean, I didn't actually see the rest of her house, but if it was anything like the dungeon…"

"Her house was actually bigger than mine. She described it like an evil Hogwarts. Lots of secrets and a bit confusing. But it was nice, or it used to be before it was abandoned."

"I can imagine." Rose nodded and then went into the bathroom.

Scorpius remembered his conversation with Atria. He wanted to tell Rose that he loved her, but it never seemed like a good time. He thought about what Albus was going through, having missed the opportunity and living with the regret. Scorpius didn't want that.

There might never be a good time, but the wrong time was better than no time. And after their conversation this morning, Scorpius was starting the think that maybe Rose loved him too. Of course, she hadn't seemed at all flushed or embarrassed by the fact they had slept together, so maybe the thought had never crossed her mind. Maybe she only saw him as a friend and a more serious relationship hadn't ever crossed her mind.

Scorpius let out a frustrated sigh. He knew it was a bad idea to overthink it. If he started to think too much he would talk himself out of telling her. It was a risk.

But it was a risk he was willing to take if there was even the slightest chance they might be together. He wasn't going to lose her because he hadn't even tried. Scorpius would regret not trying more than he would regret not succeeding. But how was he going to go about it…

Scorpius was pulled out of his thoughts by the bathroom door opening. Was Rose already finished showering. Her head poked out, her wet hair piled on top of her head.

"Hey could you hand me my bag?" She asked and Scorpius got up.

He grabbed her backpack and walked it over to her. She stuck her hand out of the crack and he could see the towel wrapped around her body and he bare collarbone.

"Here you go. Are you finished already?"

Rose nodded. "I've been in here for fifteen minutes." She said it like that was long time, but Scorpius took more than twice that time to shower. She disappeared into the bathroom and Scorpius went back to sit on the bed.

His heart was pounding in his chest. When he heard the door open again, he took a deep breath. She was wearing a simple red long sleeve shirt and jeans. Not by any means, spectacular, but it made Scorpius's breath catch all the same.

He stood up and went to meet her halfway.

"I need to owl my parents. And you should probably tell your parents that I'm here. I feel bad about just coming over. This morning I was kind of in panic mode, but looking back I probably should have waited…" She bit her lip.

"It'll be fine." He said quickly.

"I know, but it's a bit rude to just invite myself over."

Scorpius shook his head. "It's really alright. I'm glad you came."

"Me too."

There was a pregnant pause. Scorpius wasn't sure if Rose noticed how awkward it was, but the silence thundered in his ears.

"Rose, there's something I have to tell you." He took a step closer and now they were only standing a foot apart. Rose looked expectantly and questioningly at him. "Yesterday was really difficult… and well, if something had happened to you I would have lost my mind. I can't imagine how Albus is feeling and I don't want to. I know there are things he wishes he had said. I don't want that to happen."

Rose frowned. "I don't understand."

Scorpius's cheeks were on fire and his pulse was pounding in his ears.

"I'm trying to say that I love you and I should say it to you every day."

Rose blinked. "I love you too." She said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Scorpius coughed, knowing she didn't understand what he was trying to say.

"Rose, when I say love… I mean… I'm not talking about," He winced, thinking this is going all wrong.

"I love you too."

"Yes, but what I'm trying to say is that-"

Suddenly her lips pressed against his and Scorpius's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. She kissed him fiercely and for a moment he was stunned into a stupor. And then he threw his arms around her waist and dragged her as close as he could. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

He cupped the back of her neck, refusing to let her break the kiss. His tongue swept out and licked her bottom lip and she sighed contently. She pulled back a fraction of an inch and whispered, "Scorpius." He kept kissing her through her words. "Scor," kiss, "we should," kiss, "wait a second." His lips brushed hers one last time before he pulled away.

"I love you so much," He said and leaned in for one more kiss. Merlin, how had he survived to this point without her lips on his?

She smiled up at him, "Me too." She let out a bubbly giggle. "You looked so nervous."

"You knew what I was going to say?"

Rose barked out a short laugh, "No! You took me completely by surprise, but I… I wanted it to be true. After everything you said this morning, I was hoping you felt the same way. Merlin, up until this morning I wasn't even sure how I felt."

Scorpius touched a piece of her hair. "I realized I loved you in Spain, at the wedding."

Her eyes widened. "But… that was months ago! Why didn't you say something?"

Scorpius looked down, "The thought just popped into my head and well, I convinced myself that I was just overtaken by emotions. You looked so beautiful and… I guess I was overtaken by emotions, but later I realized that it wasn't a passing fancy. I really like you."

"We've digressed from love to like?" Rose teased.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I like and love you, especially right now. Sometimes I don't like you, but I will always love you." Rose's mouth opened.

"When don't you like me?"

"When you nag me about leaving stuff in our common room or about doing my homework…"

"Well, I just think you shouldn't leave all your Quidditch thingys everywhere! And homework is important!"

Scorpius captured Rose's face in his hand and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. "Rose, if it means having you in my life I will put up with your nagging forever." Rose flushed and tried to conceal a grin. "I love you more than I dislike your nagging."

Rose chuckled. "Mmm, I love you more than your ridiculous habits." She nose brushed his.

"What habits?" He whispered.

"Your morning routine. You realize I take ten minutes in the bathroom while you take almost an hour."

Scorpius snorted, "Well, personal grooming is important."

"Not that important." Rose replied and Scorpius kissed her again. "Is it wrong to be happy right now?" Rose asked quietly. Scorpius pulled back.

"Why would it be wrong?"

Rose sighed, "I just feel like it's wrong for us to be happy when Albus is hurting."

"It's not your fault," Scorpius started.

"I know! But it's just… Atria put her life on the line to save me. I'm standing here because she isn't."

"You deserve to be happy. Give Albus some time, it's only been a day. Hell, we all need time. Just because you and I are momentarily distracted, doesn't mean that we aren't hurting too."

Rose didn't say anything for a moment, but when she did, she figured it was time for a subject change. "I really have to owl my parents and you have to speak with yours about me staying here."

Scorpius groaned, "Do I have to tell my parents you're here? They'll just make you stay in a guest room."

"Scorpius, I can't just stay in here." Rose paused. "And um, I'm not ready for… that."

"I'm not suggesting 'that'," Scorpius teased, "I only meant that I had the best sleep I've ever had and I loved waking up in your arms. Even if we don't make love, I still enjoyed holding you."

Rose melted and it took all of her strength to say, "It wouldn't be respectful to your parents. I already invited myself over, I can't just hide in your room. Despite the fact I said I needed a break, I don't think I could stay holed up in one room for several days."

Scorpius pulled her close, "I'm sure we could find ways to keep ourselves entertained," He whispered and gave her a long, slow kiss. His lips moved skillfully across hers and his tongue knew the precise movements that made her crazy.

She pulled back, "Scorpius." She chided, "you can't keep kissing me to distract me."

"I'm allowed to kiss my girlfriend."

"Is that what I am?"

Scorpius caressed her cheek. "Well, I actually think girlfriend is a bit… childish and an understatement. I prefer… the love of my life, the person who keeps me from losing my mind, my rock, my soul…"

Rose laughed, "Alright I get it. You know, you still haven't asked me on a date."

Scorpius froze and Rose looked at him. Suddenly, he dropped down to one knee.

"Oh dear Merlin," Rose burst out laughing and shook her head. Scorpius took both of her hands in his and brought them to his lips.

"Rose Nymphadora Weasley, will you put up with all my bad habits and be my girlfriend?"

Rose smiled down at him and grinned. "Yes, of course."

Scorpius released a breath and wiped nonexistent sweat off his forehead. "You had me worried for a second." She smacked his shoulder playfully and he stood up. "Well, go write your letter and I'll go tell my parents." He said dryly.

Rose stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you! Can I borrow some parchment and your owl?"

Scorpius set her up at a small oak desk in the corner of his bedroom. His owl waited to dutifully by the window and he left her writing. Scorpius wandered down to the first floor, guessing that his mother was having lunch at the moment, or a very late brunch. His father hadn't come home with them last night, which was a good thing for him.

It was more likely that his mum would be sympathetic to Rose. He could guilt her into letting Rose stay, but his father was not so easily manipulated.

Like Scorpius predicted, his mum was in the small dining room, having a tea and pastry. She smiled softly upon his arrival and motioned for him to sit down. "You're finally awake. I was about to send Tawny up to make sure you were still alive."

Scorpius grinned at his mum and sat down unceremoniously.

"Do you want something to eat?" She took a sip from her tea cup.

He shook his head, "Not now." Scorpius cleared his throat. "I actually have a favor to ask." His mum raised her eyebrow and looked at him suspiciously over the edge of her cup.

"I'm almost afraid to ask."

He laughed, "It's nothing bad… it's just, well, Rose arrived this morning and was wondering if she could spend a few days here." He made sure to widen his eyes innocently and hit his mum with a lovable grin.

"She's here now?"

"Yes, she's actually in my room writing to her parents, saying that she got here alright."

"Do they know she's here?"

Scorpius nodded quickly, "Yes."

"But… why is she here?"

He sighed, laying it on thick, "She didn't want to deal with her family. To be honest, it's really difficult at her house right now and Albus is… not making things easier. She just wanted a few days to recuperate without having to worry about anything and I told her that you would probably let her stay here. She says that she feels very safe here." It was shameful really, but Scorpius didn't have any regrets.

His mum bit her lip. "Well, I suppose if her parents say it's alright… we can set up a guest room." Scorpius hid his disappointment well, smiling and kissing his mum's cheek. "I'll speak to your father when he gets home. I'm sure he'll be happy to be able to check on her, I know he was worried about sending her home last night. There was nothing more to be done, but I think he wanted to monitor her more."

"He can monitor her here." Scorpius jumped up and headed for the door. "We'll be down in a little while for lunch. I'm not sure how much Rose has eaten, but she didn't sleep much last night."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later that night, Astoria waited in the dining room for Draco to arrive home. She nibbled at some chocolate cake and thought about the day. It may have been the first time she had actually spend a long amount of time with Rose Weasley.

They came down for lunch and the young girl was very gracious about letting her stay at the house. Astoria had assured her it was no problem, but still Rose explained that she sent a letter, but eventually got impatient waiting for a response.

Astoria liked Rose, but what she really loved is how Scorpius acted around her. Yesterday, her son had gone to bed without a word, looking pale and half-dead. This afternoon when he came down to see her, she was shocked at how alive he looked. As soon as Scorpius had explained that Rose was here, needing a place to escape, everything made sense.

Scorpius was happy to have a purpose, especially if that purpose was to take care of Rose. Astoria was sure that Scorpius didn't see it and neither did Rose, but while he was taking care of Rose, he was also taking care of himself. Astoria was pleased to have Rose here, if nothing else it seemed to brighten her son's disposition.

A few minutes later Draco walked into the dining room and bent over to place a kiss on his wife's lips.

"How was the hospital?" Astoria asked as Draco collapsed into a chair.

"Still in disarray. It's better, but there were many injuries and many people wandering around looking for friends and family. We were able to stabilized almost all of the victims of the explosion with only a few casualties." Draco told her as she handed him her fork. He dug into the chocolate cake and Astoria got up to heat up some of the leftover chicken.

"That's good." She waved her wand at the chicken that was sitting on the food table. Normally a house elf would serve them, but Astoria had sent them all to bed.

"How is Scorpius?" Draco looked up with a worried expression and watched his wife bring over the plate of chicken.

"Well, that's what I wanted to speak with you about." She said as she levitated the plate onto the table. Draco frowned.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, actually he's feeling much better."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Really."

"Yes, but… well, it's because Rose is here."

"Rose Weasley?" Draco said around a large amount of cake.

Astoria nodded slowly, "Yes, he asked if she could stay here for a few days. I guess she was feeling rather suffocated at home and wanted to escape. I wasn't sure what to say and perhaps I should have waited for you… but Draco, you should have seen his face. He looked so happy to have her here. He was thrilled when I said it was alright and I think it's nice that he has friends who depend on him."

"Astoria-"

"Admittedly, after those first few years at Hogwarts… I wasn't sure he would ever fit in, there's just so much history. And now he has wonderful friends who love and accept him, and more than that, they're Weasley's and Potter's! You know, it just makes me so happy that his friends love him even though his last name is Malfoy and I think he could really use some support right now. Of course, he doesn't see it that way, he thinks he's helping her… oh, but isn't it so lovely that they're helping each other?" Astoria finally took a breath and looked at her husband.

Draco waited for a moment, as if to make sure that she was finished.

"Astoria, it's perfectly alright that he has friends over. And Rose just went through a traumatic experience, if what she needs is to be here, as her healer I can hardly say no." Draco set his fork down.

"Oh, excellent." Astoria sighed contently.

Draco took her hands and looked her in the eyes. "But listen to the words you're saying. It is wonderful that he has friends he can rely on and who love him for himself, but this also makes me realize how much we owe Atria because she is in part responsible for that." Astoria bit her lip and looked down.

"You're right… oh, it's just awful, I can hardly bare it. No wonder these children need each other. You should tell Scorpius that it's alright if he wants to invite Amanda Smith over. She's all alone at home dealing with the loss of a dear friend," Astoria sniffed and Draco put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up.

"Astoria, that's a nice idea, but I don't think Scorpius is looking for a friend to lean on, nor do I think Ms. Weasley is looking for a shoulder to cry on."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

Draco's lips tilted upward. "Astoria I want you to prepare yourself for the realization that in five years we will probably be witnessing Rose and Scorpius's wedding."

Astoria gasped and jerked her head back. "You mean…."

"They are completely in love with each other. Rose isn't here because she needs a friend to lean on, she's here because she need Scorpius." Draco said with an amused smile. "Because she loves him. And the reason taking care of her makes him happy is because he is in love with her."

Astoria's mouth form an 'O'. "Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent. The look on his face when he speaks about Rose Weasley is the same one I see when I look in the mirror." He cupped her cheek. "The look of a man in love."


	38. Picking Up the Pieces

It was time for Rose to go home and Scorpius's heart ached thinking he would not see her for three days. It was New Year's day and they would board the Hogwarts Express on January 3rd, leaving for school for the final time. It was these thoughts that saddened him for brief moments.

Scorpius tried not to dwell on the fact that Atria wouldn't be sitting next to him on the train. She would never know that he had told Rose he loved her. She would never know that Rose replied with the same confession.

But he was determined not to let these moments ruin his time with Rose. For the days they had alone together, Scorpius wanted to focus completely on Rose. Only suddenly the last day had sprung up on them. She was leaving around two o'clock. It was now nine o'clock, which left them only with five hours of uninterrupted alone time. After that they would be back at Hogwarts, busy with Head duties and their friends.

Scorpius was determined to make the five hours count. Both of his parents were out of the house until it was time for Rose to leave. Scorpius planned on bringing her breakfast in bed, they would eat together, kissing in between bites, and then he could take her to the garden room, which overlooked the outdoor gardens. There they would sit and talk and enjoy each other's company.

A house elf would bring the lunch and they would sit there until it was time to leave.

Scorpius balanced a tray of food on his left hand and rapped on her door with his right hand. He didn't wait for it to open and he entered her room, smiling at the sight of her tangled in the sheets that were pulled all the way up to her neck.

He set the tray down quietly on the nightstand and went over to the side of the bed. He brushed pieces of her hair back and her face scrunched up in the most adorable way. He sat on the edge of the bed and her eyes flipped open groggily. Rose blinked several times and then turned on her back, stretching her arms above her head.

"Scor?"

"Good morning." He pressed a kiss to her mouth and her eye's widened.

"Your parents-"

"Have gone for the day." Scorpius leaned onto the bed more and angled his body so that he could give her a deeper kiss. After several moments, Scorpius pulled back and Rose leaned up as if she wanted to follow him with her mouth. "I brought breakfast. I thought we could eat in bed." Man, did he love the blush that spread down her neck. Scorpius wanted to know exactly how far the blush went.

"That sounds wonderful."

Scorpius scooted into bed beside her and set the tray on his lap. He loved how Rose curled into his side and how she waited for him to feed her. They had done this almost every time they had eaten alone. He would pick up a piece of whatever food they were eating and she would eat it directly from his fingers.

Today, one of the things he was feeding her was strawberries. She licked the juice on his fingers after she had taken the strawberry slice between her teeth. Next, he held out a danish and watched her take a bite. It saddened him that this was the last morning he got to do this, at least for a while.

Which made him think of what would happen when they got back to school. They shared a dorm together, but couldn't go into each other's bedrooms or bathrooms. Luckily, they were the only ones with the password to their common room, so they could do whatever they wanted on the couches.

"Rose," Scorpius started as she was chewing the danish. "I was wondering… when we go back to school should we tell our friends?" Rose looked at him and set down the danish. She placed a hand on his arm.

"I think we should. I just worry about Albus."

"Because of Atria."

Rose looked at her hands. "I don't want to rub our happiness in his face."

"Maybe I should talk to him." Scorpius suggested. Rose stroked a hand down his bare chest.

"I don't know if he's speaking to anyone."

"It's been five days. He has to have spoken to someone."

"I don't know."

Scorpius sighed, thinking about what hell it was going to be in school. They finished the rest of their breakfast in silence and then Scorpius placed the tray back on the nightstand. He turned back and immediately pulled Rose into his arms. She was lying across his chest, one hand on his pec and the other on his bicep.

They kissed slowly, their tongues reaching out and stroking, testing, and dancing. Scorpius leaned onto his side so he could press himself against her completely. Rose nipped at his lip and he groaned, sliding a hand to her lower back. His hand slipped under her shirt, he was completely mesmerized by the feel of her skin. She sighed into his mouth and moved one of her hands to his lower abs.

Scorpius rolled over and put her on her back. He looked down on her for a moment, taking in how beautiful she looked with her red hair spread all over the pillow. She smiled softly up at him and he kissed her more urgently this time.

He leaned down into her, careful not to crush her beneath his weight. Rose greedily kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his neck, one hand pulling on his hair. Scorpius pressed himself against her more and she gasped, turning her head to the side, breaking their kiss.

Both of their breathing was labored and Scorpius pulled back, suddenly realized that when he had shifted his body his pelvic region had come in full contact with hers. He rolled back onto his back and looked sideways at her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…"

Rose cleared her throat, "I liked it, I'm just not ready… it doesn't feel right."

His heart shrunk a little. "I get it."

She rolled onto her side and leaned into him. "What I mean is… I feel like there's a black cloud over us. That's not how I want our first time to be, but I do want my first time to be with you. I love you and I want to be with you, just not now. We should give it more time, for Merlin's sake, I only had my first kiss a few days ago." She fiddled with her hair as her statement sunk into Scorpius's mind.

"I was your first kiss?" His chest expanded and he felt incredibly happy to hear that he was the only one who had tasted her amazing lips.

"You were my first kiss, the first boy I ever spent the night with, and someday… my first lover." The blush on her face melted him. Soon he would be no more than a pile of emotions and feelings all devoted to loving the amazing girl beside him.

"I love you." He whispered and kissed her nose softly.

Rose tucked her head under her chin and molded her body to the wide of him, tangling their legs. "I love you too." She giggled and released a content sigh. "It feels so good to say that."

A little while later Scorpius cleared his throat. "I should probably speak with your father sometime." Rose jerked her head up.

"Why?" She sounded very alarmed.

"Well, I have to ask his permission to date you."

She scoffed. "No, you don't."

"It's the polite thing to do. I think he'll respect me for coming forward."

"Yea or kill you." Rose said seriously.

He laughed and shook his head. "Your dad likes me."

"He's just gotten adjusted to us being friends! I think we should let that sink in more before we tell him about the dating thing." Rose insisted. Scorpius sighed.

"I suppose. And considering you just spend four nights at my house, I'm not in a huge rush to tell your dad kissing you is my favorite past time."

Rose yelped. "You should never tell him that! Ever!"

"But there is something I was thinking about… what are you planning to do after school?"

"Work at the Ministry. I already have a paid internship lined up."

Scorpius chuckled. "I meant about living arrangements." Her eyes widened.

"Well, I was planning on sharing a flat with… Atria and Amanda. Ugh, I know Atria spoke to Albus about us living together and you and Albus living together. Atria thought it would be better if she and Albus weren't together all the time." Rose said grimly.

"And now…?"

"Well, Amanda and I could still live together. And I think it would be good for Albus to have you around."

"What about us?" Scorpius asked, seeing that he was going to need to ask the question directly.

"Us live together?"

He nodded and Rose bit her lip. "You don't think that would be too much? I feel like we need to discuss this as a group."

"Why?"

"Our friends have a say in this."

Scorpius snorted, "It's our relationship, it doesn't concern them."

"Scor, we're going to have to stick together. Besides how would we pay for this? We're all going to be making crumbs, so we might have to all get a flat and share between the four of us in order to get by."

He rolled his eyes, "We're all rich."

"No, our parents are rich. You have a trust fund, but my parents fully expect me to be paying my dues."

"You have a savings as well."

"Yes, but not nearly as much as you. I imagine that if we all chipped in, we could get a nice flat in London. But this is why we need to discuss it with our friends."

"But I don't want to share you." Scorpius whined. Rose snuggled into his side.

"Well, too bad. Our friends need us… besides I have to share you as well."

He sighed, "Alright when do you want to speak with them?"

Rose went to find Albus as soon as she got home. She artfully dodged the rest of her family, knowing they would keep her tangled for hours before she was finally able to reach Albus. After speaking for hours with Scorpius she felt much more confident talking to her cousin.

She just hoped she could get through without completely falling apart.

He was staying on the sixth floor of the Burrow. Rose stood in front of his door for a few moments and dragged in a few deep breaths.

She knocked lightly on his door.

"What?"

Rose turned the knob and opened the door gently, peeking her head in. Albus was lying in bed with his arm thrown over his face. The blinds were closed and it smelled liked he hadn't showered in days.

"Can I come in, Al?" Rose asked hesitantly. He entire body stiffened but he didn't move his arm or look up.

"If you want," he replied.

Rose stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. "I just got back from Scorpius's place." Albus didn't say anything. "We talked about a lot of things. Albus… are you mad at me?" She ended the question on a whisper. She was a little bit afraid of what his answer would be.

Eventually, he sighed and Rose tensed. "I'm not mad at you. I don't blame you for what happened." Rose released a breath, perhaps too soon. "But it just… it feels like her death was unnecessary." He eased up and looked at her. His normally clear green eyes were rimmed with red and they seem fuzzy.

"It was!" Rose agreed. "The whole thing is messed up."

"But just because I wish she was alive, don't mean I want you gone. I'm so relieved that you're alright, it's just… a reminder."

Rose swallowed thickly, emotions clogging her throat. "Albus, no expects you to be okay. But I wish you would talk to me… or someone. Anyone really. It's not good for you to be holed up in your room, trapped with your thoughts."

He rubbed his stubble-covered jaw. "I don't like the way everyone looks at me. Like they're waiting for me to break down."

"That's why I went to Scorpius's house!" Rose exclaimed.

Albus blinked. "When did you go to his house?"

She looked at him in amazement. "I was staying at his house for the past few days. Did you really not notice?"

He shrugged, "I haven't really been paying attention to anyone. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. This must have been hell for you." Rose sat down next to him.

"To be honest I haven't really thought about it. Mostly I've been thinking about Attie and you. I wish I could fix everything." Rose said quietly wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "But I was thinking it might be nice for us to go see Amanda. There are some things Scorpius and I feel like we should talk about."

"How is Scorpius?"

"He's… as good as he can be, I suppose." Rose blushed. "I think he's in denial to be honest. None of us have really thought about it, and I have a feeling it's going to get really bad when we get back to school."

"How do you mean?"

"Just… there's lots of reminders and it's going to be different without her. We need each other now more than ever."

Albus didn't say anything for a while and he barely moved, except to breath.

"You think we should invite Amanda over?" He asked at last.

Rose made a face. "I don't know…"

"Rose, you have to spend some time with the family. Everyone is so worried about you-"

"How would you know?"

"I can imagine! Look, I know you don't want everyone fawning over you, but there are things we need to talk to our parents about. You can't just ignore them for the rest of break."

Rose sighed, knowing he was right, but unable to admit it. "Alright, but first you need to shower. Seriously, when was the last time personal hygiene crossed your mind?" She leaned away from him.

"I showered… sometime."

"Within the last five days?"

"Yes! Three days ago… I think."

Rose jumped up. "You go shower. I'll write to Amanda and Scorpius."

"You just saw Scorpius."

"Yes, but we need to discuss things as a group!"

"Why do you always make things more complicated than they need to be?"

She huffed and crossed her arms. "Someone needs to be organized."

A shadow of a smile cross his lips and then it melted into a frown. "Atria always made you let loose."

Rose pressed her lips together and steeled herself. "I am perfectly capable of having fun."

"She did fun better than anyone."

Rose smiled softly. "Do you remember some of the things she, James, and Freddie used to get up to?"

"I remember James wanting to marry her." Albus said wryly and Rose laughed sadly. There were so many good memories that were now going to be tainted with sorrow.

"If we had known it was you who would end up with her… Has James said much to you about that. I can imagine him being put off by the fact that they were friends and she kept saying no to him, but the two of you started dating." Rose shook her head.

When she looked up Albus was smiling, but his eyes were brimming with tears. "I have a Christmas present for her," his voice cracked. "I need to do something with it… but I haven't been able to look at it."

Rose's heart ached. "I can take care of it, if you want." She offered.

"No," he shook his head, "I want to do it."

She hesitated as she opened the door, not quite sure if she wanted to leave Albus alone. "Can you write to Amanda and Scorpius?" She asked, thinking it might to him some good to have a task to complete. He had been alone with his thoughts for too long and needed to get his mind off of Atria.

"Sure," he said and Rose shut the door softly. She went downstairs and found her mum talking with Uncle Harry and Uncle George.

"Rose!" Her mum jumped up from the chair and rushed over to her. "Oh, darling we're so happy to have you home. You look well rested." She touched Rose's hair lovingly.

"You really do," Uncle Harry agreed.

Rose smiled, "I had a nice time with Scorpius."

"Astoria owled me a few days ago saying that you were getting better." Her mum told her. Rose's eyebrows shot up. She had no idea that the Malfoys had contacted her parents. Thank Merlin Astoria hadn't mentioned that Rose had just popped up. Her mother would not be happy knowing Rose had lied to them.

"Mrs. Malfoy is really lovely." Rose sat down at the table.

"How are you?" Uncle Harry asked.

"I'm okay," Rose said and was met with doubtful looks. "Honestly, I've been so caught up in everything, I haven't really had time to think about it. I'm glad Scorpius occupied my thoughts." She said, trying not to blush. Scorpius had occupied her thoughts, her time… her lips.

"Well, if you need to talk… you went through a very traumatic event."

Rose cleared her throat, "I think it was more traumatic for everyone else than it was for me."

Her mum stared at her, "Are you sure you're okay? You seem to be taking everything relatively well."

"I talked about it with Scor. It was horrible, but mostly I can't stop thinking about Atria. That's the worst part." Rose said quietly.

Uncle George coughed, "How did you know it wasn't her mother?"

Rose closed her eyes and immediately regretted it. She remembered Atria's mother's skeleton and her eyes flew open. "I ran. I tried to find and exit, so I went to the dark part of the dungeon thinking that's where she must have entered. But there was nothing but the corpse. I knew something was off… but I never imagined. I feel like I should have known, but she kept referring the "Atria's mother", but then she would call Attie her daughter.

"After I found the body… well, she changed into a man. I knew immediately it must have been her father. I remember Atria telling me that her dad was killed by Death Eaters and I was so confused. But it all started to come together. Atria technically never lied, well, except for about her name."

Her mum shook her head. "That's what I can't get over. It must have been so painful for Atria to find out about her mother." She swiped under her eyes and sniffed.

Rose ducked her head, blinking rapidly. "Uncle Harry, I wanted to ask you something."

He looked questioningly at her. "What is it?"

"I was wondering about Bellatrix's relationship with Voldemort."

All the adults looked at her. "Why?" Harry asked finally.

"Something that Atria's father said." Rose replied vaguely.

Hermione and Harry looked at each other. "She was devoted to him." Harry said slowly.

"So… if he wanted something, an heir for example, she would have given it to him."

Her mother gasped, "What are you talking about?"

"Atria's father told me that Bellatrix and Voldemort had an affair and that Isis Lestrange was Voldemort's child, not Rodolphus Lestrange's." Rose explained, watching the horrified looks on their faces.

Harry started muttering. "It makes sense, if she had the baby before she went to Azkaban. No one would have ever guessed…"

"Oh Atria." Her mother put a hand over her mouth.

Rose winced. "I wanted to know if it was true."

"That's bloody gross," Uncle George cringed. "Moldy Voldy having kids? That's too bizarre."

"Do you think Atria knew?" Rose asked Uncle Harry. He didn't respond immediately and he ran his hand through his hair several times.

"I have no idea."

"It really is amazing that Atria isn't crazy." Uncle George said and Rose bit her lip when he talked in the present tense. "I mean, she's got the crazy genes coming at her from both sides of her family."

Her mother looked at Harry with wide eyes. "Hold on, wouldn't that make her the Heir of Slytherin? She would have been a parseltongue."

Harry sighed, "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she hid that from us."

Rose bit her lip, "So you think it's true?" No one answered, giving Rose her answer. "What do we tell everyone?" She asked frantically. "It was bad enough when everyone thought she was Bellatrix's granddaughter, but Voldemort… that's… a whole new level."

"Why do we have to tell anyone?" Uncle George asked slyly. "I mean, we don't actually have confirmation. And with all your head injuries," he looked at Rose, "it's entirely possible you just imagined the whole conversation." He said slowly, giving Rose a heated look.

Rose opened her mouth, "You're right. Who knows what I heard?"

"Well, that's settled." Harry said quickly and Hermione have them all disapproving looks.

"Scorpius and Amanda are coming over." Rose told them.

Her mother looked at her, "You only got back from Scorpius's today."

Rose blushed, "Yes, but there are things we all need to talk about. Albus is owling them now." Harry perked up and it was easy to understand why. Albus was actually doing something instead of withering away in his room.

"He is?" Harry said hopefully.

Rose nodded, "There's so much we all need to talk about. And Al needs to come out of his zombie phase." Harry's smile wobbled.

"Thank you." Harry cleared his throat. "You should know we tried to go back to the house."

"Tried."

"The magic completely imploded. The barrier that we passed through to get to the property is gone - there's nothing there anymore."

Rose closed her eyes. "How is that possible?"

"We have no idea." Harry admitted, his voice full of amazement.

"So you never… actually found her?" Rose asked.

Hermione looked at her daughter in alarm. "No, but there's no way she could have survived." Rose knew what she was doing, trying not to give her daughter hope. Rose knew that was logical, because hope could be crippling, but there was a part of her that couldn't accept it without proof.

But if the magic that had been sustaining the house was gone… even if she had escaped the house, she would have made it off the property. Rose sighed and rubbed her head.

"But look at this," Uncle George lay "the Prophet" on the table. On the front page was a picture of Atria, Rose, and Scorpius. They were all laughing, Atria playfully punched Scorpius's shoulder. Rose's vision blurred.

"I remember this," her voice cracked. "It was one of the few times Scorpius and I saw each other in the summer before sixth year." She quickly swiped at the tears under her eyes. "I used to get angry because I never saw him over the summer so Atria brought us to Diagon Alley for a day." Rose choked back a sob.

"Ginny was upset because she just took off." Harry recalled.

"We had so much fun," the tears were falling freely down her cheeks. She said the words between heavy sobs. "I didn't even know there was a photographer taking pictures of us." She took the paper and crushed it to her chest.

For the first time, she remembered what it felt like to love Attie. And now she knew what it felt like lose that love. It hurt her soul to think that there wouldn't be any more moments like this. No more pictures of all of them laughing and smiling together.

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Amanda arrived before Scorpius. Grandma Weasley pulled her in for a quick hug as she stepped out of the fireplace.

"Rosie and Al are upstairs." She said, rubbing Amanda's shoulder. On her way up the staircase, Amanda ran into James.

They stared at each other for a moment.

"Rose said you were coming," James said eventually. Amanda couldn't look him the eye. She hugged herself protectively and looked at the ground. "How are you?" He asked in a strained voice.

"I'm… fine."

"That's a lie." James said automatically.

Amanda's head snapped up, "What do you want me to say?" She hissed.

He barked out a laugh, "How the truth? For once can you just tell me the fucking truth?" He growled and Amanda jerked away from him.

"The truth?" She let out a pained laugh. "How about this? Every fucking breath hurts! Every thought that crosses my brain makes me more and more depressed knowing that I will never see one of my best friends again!" Her voice cracked and tears pooled in her eyes.

She turned around preparing to run up the stairs, but her grabbed her arm.

"James," she tried to pull away from him, sobs still racking her body.

"Amanda…" he sighed and she struggled against him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back into him.

She fought against his hold, "Let me go!" Her voice broke.

"No." He said firmly.

As strength left her body, she couldn't fight anymore, and she succumbed to the sobs and tears. Her head fell forward, hair falling around her face as a shield, lips trembling and she felt his chin rest on her shoulder.

He was wrapped around her and all Amanda could do was let him hold her up.

Because without him she would have fallen over.

Eventually she stopped crying. Her head was pounding and her breathing labored, but the sobs faded away. Everything was hypersensitive to her, including James's touch. His arms were wrapped around her waist, his chest pressed into his back and his chin leaning on her shoulder, their cheeks nearly touching.

"James," her voice sounded like she had been swallowing nails it was so raspy.

"Are you feeling better?" He whispered in her ear. And despite the fact that this was probably the most non-sexual situation, given the fact she had had a panic attack a moment ago, a shiver rolled through her body.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "I'm okay now. Really, I don't know what came over me." He didn't let her go and she tilted her head back to look at him.

Amanda stopped breathing when his disarming gaze met hers. Then James's eyes flicked down to her lips for a moment.

"Amanda," he whispered and her heart jumped as his nose brushed hers.

Until Rose's voice broke the spell, "What is all that shouting?" Her voice came from above them and they both jerked back. Amanda's mouth hung open, like she couldn't believe what had almost happened, and she looked up.

"Rose, I'm here." She called up in a hoarse voice. Footfalls pounded down the stairs until Rose appeared on the landing above where James and Amanda were.

"Amanda," Rose sighed with relief and jumped down the last flight.

The girls embraced tightly and James cleared his throat. "I'll leave you two."

"Thanks James, when Scor gets here send him up," Rose said and he nodded, looking slightly dejected. Thankfully Amanda's blush was covered by the red splotches of her tear stained face. "Are you alright?" Rose touched Amanda's arm lightly.

She blinked rapidly, imaging how horrid she looked, as Amanda was not a pretty crier. "Yes, just…" she trailed off.

Rose smiled grimly. "You look how we all feel. Sort of like a walking coma."

Amanda exhaled, "That's- that's exactly how I feel. It's weird, that was the first time I've cried." She admitted and Rose started to pull her up the stairs.

"I had a complete breakdown earlier. "The Prophet" had a picture of Scorpius, Atria, and me and it was the first time I was really reminded of what we're all losing."

Hell if that didn't want to make Amanda start sobbing again.

"How is Albus?" She asked quietly, figuring they were probably approaching his room. Rose stopped at the end of the hallway and looked towards the last door on the left. Amanda guessed that's where Albus was.

"To be honest, I've been at Scorpius's house, but when I got home today he was a mess. Apparently he's been sitting in his room, not talking, not eating…" Rose shook her head and walked up to the door. She gave a quick knock and then pushed the door open.

Albus was lying on his bed with his arm over his eyes. He looked up when they came in and Amanda winced. He looked like he was half dead, with pale skin, dark circles, and stubble that looked out of place on him.

"Hey Amanda," He said in a hoarse voice.

Amanda went over to the bed and sat down at the end. "Al, you need to shave." She said with a small smile. The corner of his mouth lifted, like he wanted to smile, but then dropped back into a frown.

"I know." He replied in an emotionless voice. Merlin, it was like the life had been sucked right out of him. What had Rose been doing at Scorpius's, when Al clearly needed some family. She gave Rose a look and the other girl seemed to know exactly what she was thinking.

"I didn't want to deal with my family." Rose explained quietly.

"Then we're in agreement." Albus said dryly.

Rose shot him a look. "Yes, but I had Scorpius. We all need someone to talk to."

Albus responded by closing his eyes and ignoring her.

The two girls shared a look and Rose shook her head.

Amanda sighed, "Al, we're not saying you don't have a reason to be upset. We're not saying that you may be feeling this loss more deeply than some other people. But don't think that we didn't love her just as much as you. Rose, Scorpius, and I all loved her so much," Amanda cleared her throat and demanded to her eyes that they not start weeping. "We have to get through this together. Otherwise, we're not going to get through it at all."

Albus didn't reply for so long that Amanda wondered if he had even heard her. Just as she opened her mouth Albus said in a strained voice, "I've forgotten what it's like to not have her around. It's strange because for years I wanted her gone, but I didn't even realize how much I had adjusted to her presence. I never imagined… after all the crazy stunts she's pulled, I had this imagine of her. Like she was untouchable."

"Albus, I think she did love you." Amanda said slowly, as if she knew that would be a fear of his. Finding out she had been lying to him must have been difficult, but Atria had loved him.

"I loved her," He wiped under his nose. "I still love her. It feels like this moment is never going to end."

"It's been five days. It's going to take longer than that to adjust." Rose told him and she had to wonder what was taking Scorpius so long. She could have really used it help with Albus in that moment.

"I don't want to adjust. I don't want to move on. Logically I know that I will, because I have to, but somehow it seems disrespectful to move on."

"She would want you to live." Amanda sighed and she had to remind herself of that as well.

Albus let out a heavy, aching sigh and his hands shook. "But I wanted to live with her." His voice cracked and once again he broke down sobbing. With his arm covering his face, he just lay in bed sobbing, his body shaking. Amanda didn't even realize that she was crying until Rose handed her a tissue.

Rose and Amanda were both crying, but this time because it was so difficult to see Albus in pain. They knew these next few weeks, probably months, were going to be trying.

The door opened and Scorpius looked at all of his best friends sobbing.

"Merlin, I leave you for a few hours and everything goes to hell." He said to Rose in amazement.

**Hey! It's been a while since I've left a note at the end. I just wanted to say thank you for all the support and reviews! I would really love it if everyone took a moment to review this chapter. I know a lot of people read each chapter, but most don't review :( But for this chapter I would really love to hear your thoughts, even if it's just a few words. - Alex**


	39. Shades of Black

"So why are we all here?" Amanda asked, when she could finally speak again. Her temple pounded in the way that it did after having a cry and she was mortified that for the second time in an hour she had had a breakdown.

Although, better that it happen with her best friends than in front of James.

Merlin, they had almost kissed. In addition to the puffiness from crying, Amanda was sure that she was blushing from the memory. It had felt so nice to have James hold her and she hadn't realized until that moment how much she needed to be held.

"Well, Rose and I were talking about living arrangements." Scorpius said softly as he sat down next to Albus. Thankfully, he seemed to have been shaken out of his stupor a little when Scorpius came in. Amanda was sure it was part of some bloke code that they can't see each other cry.

Albus stiffened. "What about them?"

Rose bit her lip, "We were just talking about what would happen after graduation. I know we all had plans… but I was thinking maybe we could all live together."

Amanda's eyebrows shot up. "Do you mean in the same flat? I thought we agreed to get different flats in the same building. You and Al share and then Rose… and I would share." She almost said Atria and Amanda suddenly got why they were having this talk.

Scorpius nodded. "Yes, well, we thought plans might need to be adjusted."

"And we're all going to be making entry level wages." Rose added and Scorpius rolled his eyes.

"We all have trust funds, this is not about the money."

Amanda folded her arms. "I don't."

Rose shot Scorpius a glare. "And that's why I thought it might be more cost efficient if we all shared and chipped in towards a big flat. Since we're not going to use our trust funds." She said pointed.

"This is about me."

They all looked at Albus.

"You don't want me to be alone."

No one said anything for a moment. Finally Scorpius shook his head. "It's not just about that. You and I always planned to live together-"

"Attie and I talked about living together."

"You did?" Rose asked in surprise.

Albus swallowed thickly and grimaced. "Yea, no plans were made but we talked about living together, even if it wasn't initially." Albus rested his elbows on his knees and looked at the ground.

"It's not just you we're worried about." Amanda said firmly. "Hell, I'm worried about myself. I think it would be a good thing to stick together." Rose looked at her gratefully.

"You know they never found her body." Rose blurted out and then wiped her eyes quickly. Amanda gasped and Scorpius frowned.

"What?" Albus growled.

Rose hesitated, "Apparently Castel Lestrange is completely gone. The barrier no longer exists so the Aurors couldn't get through to check."

Albus breathed heavily. "How do we know she's dead?"

"They say no one could have survived the explosion of magic." Rose said carefully and Amanda couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. Which was a bad thing. It would not end well for them if they got their hopes up.

Albus would be crushed. "But what if she got out before that?" There was a light in his eyes that Amanda hated to see because she knew it would eventually fade. But as she looked at Rose they seemed to reach a silent agreement. They couldn't outright shut his hopes down, but they couldn't encourage them.

"Albus, I didn't tell you so you could waste your life away waiting for her." Rose said.

Albus glared at his cousin. "Then why did you tell me?"

Rose faltered, "I suppose I had to talk to someone about it."

Amanda stood up and put her hands up in a peacekeeping way. "Look, we don't have to figure this out right now. This is going to take a lot of planning and some of us don't even know where we're going to be working."

"Rose and I are working at the Ministry," Scorpius offered.

Albus cleared his throat, "I applied for an internship."

Everyone looked at him surprise.

"Really?" Amanda blurted out.

Albus looked slightly offended. "Yes, with one of the Cevil brothers. You know, the ones who designed half the magical buildings in England?"

Rose was the only one who recognized the name. "That great! I read about them in "Hogwarts, A History."" She said excitedly and for the first time Albus looked slightly animated.

"I haven't been accepted yet, but I think I've got a pretty good shot." He said nervously.

"Of course you do!" Scorpius clapped Al on the shoulder and Albus winced.

Albus smiled softly and then a bad thought seemed to cross his mind because his face fell. Rose immediately prepared for him to say something about Atria and steeled her heart from the pain that Al was about to reveal.

"I told Attie. She was the only one who knew." Albus said. "It made me feel better that she didn't have any plans about her future. For once I seemed to be ahead of her." He chuckled grimly.

"We have to be excited for the future." Rose said with conviction, but there was doubt in her eyes.

Amanda slumped down. "I have no plans."

"Well, what did McGonagall say when you had your meeting in fifth?" Rose asked.

"I didn't know then either, that's why I didn't drop a bunch of subjects. She said it was better to be prepared than drop a sobject and then find out I need it for a job."

Rose bit her lip. "What about Quidditch?"

Amanda snorted, "I'm nowhere near good enough to play Quidditch professionally."

Scorpius didn't argue. "Well, what else interests you?"

Amanda shrugged. "I don't know. That's the problem, I feel like there's nothing I really excell at. Most people have something that they're really good at but I don't."

"You're great at Herbology." Albus said.

Amanda sighed, "Yes, but I don't want to be a Herbology teacher or a herbologist. That just seems so boring. I don't know… I'll probably figure it out later."

"When?" Rose asked shrilly, like it was unimaginable not to have a plan. "What jobs have you applied for?" She demanded and Amanda gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Nothing really."

Rose made a pained noise. "Nothing?"

"Well, there's been a lot going on and I don't know what I want to do." Amanda said defensively.

"You still have to apply!"

Amanda groaned and buried her face in her hands. Scorpius put a hand on Rose's shoulder. "Why doesn't everyone calm down." The girls looked at each other guiltily and Amanda sighed.

"Look, I know I haven't exactly been on top of my future… but it's been crazy and we're sort of the opposite. When bad things happen you throw yourself into work… and I throw myself into bed." Amanda admitted. Rose blinked away tears.

"It's none of my business," she sniffed and Scorpius squeezed her shoulder. Rose wrapped her arms around herself.

Amanda shook her head. "You're my friend and you're just worried. Sometimes I need a little push, whether I want it or not."

Albus ruffled his hair. "Maybe we should take a break from talking about serious things." He suggested quietly. Rose had to agree with him, so far this meeting was doing nothing but getting everyone riled up.

"I'm going to the kitchens for a bit," Rose said and made way to the door.

"Me too." Scorpius followed her out. Amanda looked sideways at Albus.

"How are you?"

Albus looked at her, "I don't know. It doesn't seem real, especially since we don't know for sure." Amanda's heart tightened, thinking that he shouldn't hold out hope for Atria to come back. "Can I just be alone for a little while?" Albus bit his lip.

She wanted to argue, but after that little scene, she figured he might need a break.

"Sure, I'll just go… do something," she trailed off and rolled her eyes. Amanda left Albus, thinking maybe she should go find Rose and Scorpius. But instead she wandered around the top floors of the Burrow.

Most of the family was downstairs and she didn't want to get caught in the sea of emotional people. She wondered if Mr. and Mrs. Potter had been back to their house to clean out Atria's room. Merlin, how would Albus ever go in that house again? How would he go in his bathroom?

"Amanda?"

She whipped around and clutched her chest. "Freddie, what the hell!" She gasped and he smirked.

"Did I scare you?"

She lifted her arms for a hug which he easily gave. "Yes, you scared me, you arsehole! What are you doing here?" She pulled back and gripped his shoulders. He hadn't changed much since he had left Hogwarts, his hair was only a little longer and he had stubble gracing his jaw.

"It's my family's house, what are you doing here?"

"Rose wanted to talk." She explained vaguely and Freddie seemed to take that as a reasonable explanation. She dropped her hands from his shoulder and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

He rubbed his jaw. "James said I should come." Amanda ducked her head to avoid showing the blush that appeared. "And speaking of my lovely cousin, why is he stomping around the house like someone kicked his puppy? He wasn't like this yesterday." Freddie gave her a pointed looked and she glanced at the ground.

"One of his best friends just died." She snapped harsher than she meant to.

Freddie looked at his hands, "I think you had something to do with it. He told me you were here, that's why I came looking for you. Only the way he said it made me think you two are fighting."

Amanda's eyes lifted. "What did he say?" She asked accusingly, causing Freddie to lift his hands up in surrender.

"Just that you were here, but it was more the way he said it than what he said."

She folded her arms. "Nothing happened." She said firmly, but he looked down on her and raised an eyebrow. "We were just arguing."

Freddie nodded casually. "People do argue. I mean, look at Al and Attie, they argued for years and… oh wait, they're dating." He grinned and Amanda was too caught up in what he was implying about her and James to correct his use of the present tense.

"Freddie, I don't even know where you're getting this idea." She huffed.

"He mentioned being really pissed of when you didn't write him."

Amanda gasped, "He didn't write me either!" She couldn't believe James had made her out to be the bad guy. Of course he tell Freddie the bits that suited his narrative.

"And how does that make you feel?" Freddie stroked his chin and looked at her knowingly.

She took a deep breath and counted to five. "I will tell you what I told him: We are not friends. Our friends are friends, but we don't mean anything to each other! I had no reason to write him and he had no reason to write me. End of story." She seethed and hadn't realized her fists were clenched until she stopped talking.

Freddie looked at her sadly. "You shouldn't push him away." He said finally.

Amanda pointed a finger at his chest. "I'm not, but I'm not going to encourage him either. I can't be friends with someone like him-especially when he gets so upset about me not writing."

"I think he's more upset about you writing me."

Amanda threw her hands in the air. "Why? Why should it matter to him?"

He gave her a level look. "You know why."

She shot a look back at him. "Did you see the article in the Prophet about him and that girl?" Freddie snorted and rolled his eyes.

"She was no one."

"Still. He's a professional Quidditch player and I'm a student. Let's just stop talking about this-it's hardly the most important thing right now."

"You have limited time left as a student. Only three days to go and then you'll be going back to Hogwarts for the last time." He teased.

Amanda burst into sobs, putting a hand over her mouth to try and hide the horrifying noise. She wasn't even crying really, just hyperventilating and for the third time today she was having a breakdown! She was so embarrassed as she felt Freddie's arms come around her, her arms crushed between their bodies.

She never thought that Atria wouldn't be there for their final ride back to Hogwarts. It hadn't occurred to her that Atria wouldn't graduate. She wouldn't be coming home with them on the train. Amanda wouldn't have someone to lean on when she was jobless and living in her parents flat.

Atria was the only one who understood being lazy and just having fun.

And suddenly, all the potential seemed to be sucked out of the world. There were things Amanda hadn't even thought about doing, little things, but now they were all she could focus on because Atria wouldn't get to do them with her.

Freddie stroked a hand up her back and patted her soothingly. Except it wasn't soothing and all she could think of was that she wanted James's arms around her again. Or better yet…

She wanted to hug Attie one last time.

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Albus felt like everyone on the platform was staring at him. Or maybe they were staring at entire family. Harry Potter had taken in the granddaughter of the most notorious Death Eater and hadn't even known.

The past week felt like time was frozen and it was all somehow a nightmare. Reality seemed to hit each of them at different points. It was hitting Albus now, as he realized that there would be no playful arguments. It would just be him and Amanda after Rose and Scorpius went to the prefect's carriage.

"Albus," his father cleared his throat and Albus stiffened. It was same cautious tone that everyone had been giving him.

"Dad, I'll be fine." He said impatiently. Rose had already left to find Scorpius and Amanda. Albus just wanted to lock himself in the compartment and hide from onlookers.

His dad rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, write to your mum and me."

Albus gave him a small smile. "I will."

They hugged briefly and then his mum smothered him and Lily. "Write every week."

Lily scoffed. "Please mum, I have a life." She said with a flourish and then sauntered off. Albus gave one last look at his parents and then walked to the train with his head down. As he walked through the carriages he could hear the whispers around him.

Atria would have told them all off.

Amanda, Rose and Scorpius were waiting in their usual compartment.

"Hey mate," Scorpius looked at him steadily.

Al rolled his eyes. "Stop staring at me like that."

Rose starting writing her hands. "I'm so nervous. Merlin, I haven't been this nervous since first year."

Amanda coughed and Rose looked at worriedly.

"You should see Madam Pomfrey when we get to Hogwarts. You look so pale." Rose pressed the back of her hand to Amanda's cheek.

Albus did notice that Amanda was much paler than normal, her normally tan skin seemed a sickly grey color and her eyes looked bloodshot. Amanda coughed throatily again, sounding like she was about to cough up a lung.

"I'll be fine."

Scorpius shook his head. "Have you been sleeping?"

Amanda opened her mouth and then paused, like she had to think about that. "It's been hard." She said finally and Albus knew what she meant. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her.

"You should rest now," Rose told her. Amanda didn't respond, but a moment later she leaned back into the seat and her eyes drifted shut.

A little while later, Rose and Scorpius announced that they had to go to the prefect's carriage. As they were leaving Rose hesitated, looking at Amanda who was sleeping.

"She'll be alright." Albus said, giving Rose what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

Rose nodded. "I know." She closed her eyes briefly and then looked at him sadly. "But what about you?"

And the truth was he had no idea. For the past week he had been preaching that he was fine, but that was the biggest lie he ever told, followed shortly by all the lies he had told himself over the years.

**Hey everyone! So as we're coming to a close to the story I just wanted to say thanks for all the reviews! I plan on doing some editing in the near future, so go back and leave some reviews on the early chapters so I know what you all liked and didn't like, and leave a review for this chapter. - Alex **


	40. Replacing Atria

**Sorry for the wait. Serious writer's block with this chapter. - Alex **

Scorpius and Rose entered the Great Hall at the same time. As soon as they had gotten off the train, Hagrid told them that McGonagall wanted to see them in her office. They both knew what it was about and Amanda and Albus watched them go.

Scorpius didn't bother going to the Slytherin table, he just followed Rose to the Gryffindor table where Al and Amanda were already sitting. Amanda pushed food around her plate with a fork and Albus was staring into his goblet as if pumpkin juice held the answer to the universe.

"Hey," Scorpius muttered as another student pushed over to make room on the bench for him and Rose.

Amanda looked up and gave them a quizzical look. "So what did Minnie want to see you about?" She asked immediately.

"She just wanted to make sure that we were okay to continue with Head duties and such." Rose sighed. Amanda could just imagine Rose throwing a fit over McGonagall not thinking she was in a good condition to be Head Girl. No doubt Rose adamantly convinced the Headmistress that she and Scorpius were alright to continue.

Actually, giving them something to do was probably a blessing.

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Over the next few days Scorpius realized that it didn't feel so weird being back at school. And then he felt guilty for not feeling horrible. Between Head Duties, classes, and homework he had barely enough time to see Rose, which is exactly what it felt like before winter break.

It wasn't until the Friday after they came back, that he realized what a gaping hole there was in his life.

He sat in the Great Hall, a bit early, but he was hungry. Amanda was still in the Slytherin common room, but not in her dorm room. Scorpius could imagine how she felt seeing Atria's bed every night. For him there was a figurative space in his heart, for her there was a literal space in her dorm.

"Hey Scorpius," Ruphus, a fifth year Slytherin, sat down next to him hesitantly.

Scorpius sipped at his water. "What's up?"

Ruphus swallowed nervously and coughed a few times.

"Just spit it out." Scorpius growled and then tried to reign in his temper.

"Well, some of us were wondering when tryouts were going to be," he said quietly and then ducked his head to hide behind his dark brown bangs. Scorpius's eyebrows shot up in confusion.

"Tryouts for what?"

Ruphus's eyes widened and then he rubbed the back of his neck. "For the seeker's position." He whispered and then looked down at his hands once more.

Scorpius was shocked in a stupor. That hadn't even crossed his mind… he had been in denial. Replacing Atria on the Quidditch team… somehow that made everything more surreal and he could picture Rose's voice saying 'Quidditch isn't everything!'

And then Atria would say 'oh stuff it!'

Scorpius blinked and looked away. "Oh. Um…" Shit.

Ruphus stood up quickly. "Not that there's any rush…but I know some people who are interested. We have a match against Ravenclaw in a month and the new seeker is going to need some time to blend with the team and learn the plays." Ruphus wanted to be the next seeker, that much was clear. But beyond that, Scorpius wasn't processing much.

Scorpius kept blinking like an idiot and nodded mutely. Then he realized he should probably say something. "Right, I'll put something up tomorrow." His voice sounded choked even to his own ears. Ruphus disappeared quickly and as soon as he was out of sight, Scorpius let out a breath that sounded too similar to a sob.

He put his head into his hands and took a deep breath. He needed to stay strong-everyone else was falling apart so he couldn't.

"Scorpius…" Amanda's voice sounded far away, even though when he looked up she was right next to him. She looked down on him with concern and then swung one leg over the bench and sat down, straddling the bench and facing him.

"Hey," he croaked.

"What happened?" She put a hand on his shoulder and he shook he head, too damn close to tears. "Come on, talk to me." She whispered, rubbing a soothing hand on his back.

He met her eyes, which were probably red and unclear. "We need to hold Quidditch tryouts." He said and for a moment she looked confused.

"What? We already…." comprehension dawned and then her lower lip started to tremble. Scorpius looked away and refocused on his plate. Amanda cleared her throat and spoke strongly. "I don't know what this 'we' is. You're the captain." She teased, despite the glaze over her eyes.

And it worked. Scorpius chuckled despite himself. "Abandoning me to the wolves?"

"Maybe." There was a sober pause. "You have to do it. We can't just forfeit the rest of our games. This our last year… we can't have three Quidditch cups and not get one our seventh year."

"She's the reason we've won."

Amanda made an offended noise. "Excuse me, but I happen to think that we have a pretty good team. Did she help? Of course, but she couldn't have done it alone."

Scorpius inhaled deeply. "You're right," he said with a new sense of conviction. "We're going to win one last time and I'm determined to enjoy our last year."

She smirked. "Well it shouldn't be too hard." Scorpius didn't understand what she meant. "Can I ask you something?" Scorpius was hesitant to say yes-Amanda had that knowing look in her eye that told him her asking was just for confirmation of a theory.

"Sure," he said slowly.

"Is there something between you and Rose?"

Scorpius opened his mouth to deny it, but the look on Amanda's face told him she could see through any bullshirt he might say. Instead he sighed, "We've been seeing each other since she came to my house the day after Christmas."

"I knew it." She frowned. "Why didn't you tell us? We want you to be happy, even if Albus would pull out the protective cousin act, he knows-"

"You can't tell him!" Scorpius said quickly.

"Why?"

"The reason we didn't tell you is that we didn't want to throw our happiness in Al's face."

Amanda opened her mouth and then closed it. "You have to tell him eventually."

"I know, but we want to wait until the sting wears off."

"Do you think it ever will?"

Scorpius didn't say anything. Amanda was right, there would never be a good time to tell Albus. Maybe sooner was better than later.

"Look," Amanda tossed her hair over her shoulder, "it's not my business. But Albus wants you to be happy and I think you should tell him. I'm not saying to flaunt it in his face, but at least tell him the truth." Damn, he hated when she was right. "When should we hold tryouts?"

"We?" He raised an eyebrow and she rolled her eyes.

"Shut it."

"Let's do Monday at three."

Amanda nodded absently and picked at a piece of toast. "Who do you think will try out?"

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As Scorpius expected, Ruphus was there, looking eager to tryout. In total, there were only three students trying out and Scorpius was not impressed so far. There was one third year named Ariella Porter, a sixth year named Jordan and then Ruphus. They each had their strengths, but Scorpius was leaning towards Ruphus or Ariella.

Jordan was good, but a little too old. His flying was on the same level as Ariella's and Scorpius might as well choose someone who was going to be on the team for a while. The only problem with Ariella was that she was a bit too soft. She was the fast flier, but during the scrimmage if anyone touched her, she would wobble immediately.

As Scorpius watched Ariella and Ruphus compete to catch the snitch, Ariella in front of the other boy by a foot, he was convinced that he could toughed Ariella up. Ruphus was a bit sturdier on his broom, but not as quick. As bludgers flew past them, Ariella dodged them easily.

But when Ruphus got close to her and started nudging her, she looked uncertain.

When Ariella caught the snitch ten minutes later, Scorpius was convinced she was the right choice. Obviously, he still had to give Jordan a chance against her, but he doubted the older boy would put up a better showing.

Amanda flew over to Scorpius and they hovered next to each other. "What do you think?"

"Ariella." Amanda said immediately. "Did you hear when Ruphus barked at Clarence?"

Scorpius blinked. "Um… no, when did that happen?"

"When he almost got hit by a bludger. Anyways, I think Ariella will need some pointers, but she'll be more open to direction than Ruphus."

Like him, Amanda hadn't even been considering Jordan.

"I agree."

"Let's go make the announcement then."

Scorpius dreaded saying his decision. For some reason, that made everything seem so much more finalized. After telling everyone to land, they all gathered in a semicircle around Scorpius. He scanned the crowd until he realized who he was looking for. A part of him expected her to come out and yell at him for replacing her.

Shaking off his guilt, Scorpius cleared his throat. "Thanks for coming out on a Monday, everyone. You all did great, but I can only choose one. So… Ariella, you will be our new seeker. Thanks for being here everyone."

The two rejected seekers sulked off and the rest of the team congratulated Ariella. She looked a bit dazed as people clapped her on the shoulder. As the rest of the Slytherin team left the stadium, Ariella wandered over to Scorpius and Amanda.

Scorpius laughed at the younger girl's face. "You looked shocked."

"I am. I didn't think I would make it, I'm only a third year and the other two boys were so big." Ariella said, breathing heavy.

"Size isn't important in a seeker. In fact, it's better if they're small and dainty." Amanda assured Ariella. "We glad to have you."

"I wasn't sure if I wanted to try out, but my friends made me."

"Why?"

"There's a lot of pressure. Atria is a tough act to follow." Ariella rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry by the way. I'm happy I'm on the team, but I would have preferred to just tryout next year." Scorpius smiled at the girl, who looked so worried about this admission.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I would have preferred that too." Scorpius told Ariella.

"I heard a few people talking about her funeral. Did it already happen?"

Amanda bit her lip and glanced at Scorpius. "No, there wasn't a funeral. We don't…" Amanda's throat tightened. "There wasn't a body." It sounded like she swallowed nails and Ariella paled.

"Sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's alright," Scorpius waved off her concerns, but on the inside he felt like Amanda looked. "We should go study," he said to Amanda, sensing her need to escape, "and you should go tell your friends the good news. I'm glad they made you tryout." He said quickly to Ariella.

"Thanks! I'll see you later," she dashed off and Scorpius put a hand on Amanda's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Amanda pressed her lips together and shook her head. "No," she croaked and Scorpius led her back to the castle. The January air bit into his cheeks, but he was grateful for the distraction from the pain in his heart.

He was going to go find Rose as soon as he was back in the castle. Right now, he just needed to hold he and smell her hair. They hiked back up to the castle in silence and Amanda hardly made a sound until they were walking past the Great Hall.

"I'm going to go to the library. I'll see you at dinner." She said sullenly and didn't wait for him to said goodbye. Scorpius sighed and rubbed his eyes. Albus had come out of his zombie state, but Amanda seemed to be falling into one in his place.

Scorpius dragged himself back to the Head's dormitory and was extremely happy to enter the portrait hole and find Rose sitting in front of the fire. She was so engrossed in her Charms textbook that she didn't even notice him walking up to her.

"Rose," he said and she jumped a little, clutching the book close to her chest.

"Scorpius, don't do that to me!" She glared at him teasingly, but Scorpius couldn't return the playful look. Her mouth thinned and she spoke softly, "How were tryouts?"

Scorpius fiddled with his uniform. "They were good. We chose a third year called Ariella and she'll be great. You know, she's willing to learn and a great flyer…"

"Scorpius."

"...and I think with a bit of practice, she'll be… great. And it's great that she's only a third year-"

"Scorpius."

"...so she'll have loads of time to become a really great seeker. I expect in a few years-"

Rose slammed her book down, cutting him off. "Scorpius." She whispered and he could hear the plea in her voice. "You just used the word great a thousand times. I know it must have been hard."

"Not really the other two choices weren't that great-"

"Scorpius," she snapped, "stop pretending like this hasn't affected you."

He took a deep breath. "I can't think about this right now." She grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the couch.

Rose sighed, "Scorpius, just talk to me." He felt her palm on his face and she turned his eyes so that they were looking at each other. Her green eyes were sad and understanding, but he couldn't talk to her.

He leaned in a kissed her. Her lips parted in surprise and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. She let out a soft moan and her hands gripped the collar of his uniform. He pressed closer to her and she leaned back into the couch, pulling him down on her.

This was what he needed. Scorpius needed her to take the pain away. She made everything good for a while. When she pulled away, he tried to follow her, but she placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him away.

"Scorpius," she breathed heavily, "we can't do this now."

He stared at her blankly for a second, his chest pumping up and down. She leaned in to kiss him quickly and then grinned. "Plus, you smell." He blinked and was shaken out of his stupor. His lips twisted into an arrogant smirk.

"You love it." He leaned forward to nuzzle her cheek with his nose.

"No, I don't!" She squealed and jumped up. "Go shower and then we'll talk about kissing." She pointed up the stairs and tried to look serious, but he leaned forward and rubbed the back of her legs.

Rose released of breathy sigh.

"I love you," he whispered and she leaned over to kiss him.

"I love you too, but seriously go shower."

Scorpius tilted his back and laughed. He stood up, towering over Rose, feeling ten feet tall as he looked at the loving smile on her face. "Fine, but I expect kisses later." He said as he walked backwards and she shook her head, concealing a grin. Scorpius's heart felt light and as he showered he decided that Rose was the sun in his sky.

He knew she was right about going too far. The first time they made love, or got anywhere near it, was not going to be tainted by him needing a distraction. And if it was wrong for them to be happy when everyone else was so sad, then surely it would be doubly wrong for them to take that next step.

Scorpius decided that they needed to tell Albus soon. Having to pretend in front of others that he wasn't completely in love was dragging him down.

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The first Quidditch practice on Thursday with their new seeker was decidedly "alright." Scorpius didn't think much had changed given that the seeker wasn't really part of the plays and strategy. The biggest problem with Ariella was that she was too nice.

Amanda laughed when she said, "Excuse you," to a beater who almost pelted her in the head. Ariella flushed and Scorpius chastised the beater, for nearly injuring their new seeker, and Ariella, for taking any of that shit.

After practice, Ariella flew down and landed next to Amanda. "Did I do alright?" She asked nervously. Amanda was struck by the realization that she was the seventh year younger students were coming to for advice.

"You did great, especially considering it was your first practice." Amanda assured the girl, squeezing her shoulder.

Ariella bit her lip, "I know I can do a good job, but there's still so much to learn and Scorpius can be...intimidating." She swallowed and Amanda barked out a laugh. It was hard to imagine her friend, who once teared up during "Titanic" as intimidating, but she could see how he could be to a third year.

"Don't worry, he likes you. In fact, he would like you more if you gave it back to him."

"I was so embarrassed when I almost ran into him," Ariella flushed and looked at the ground. Amanda smiled at the memory. "He was so angry."

"Don't worry. He's just not used to adjusting, none of us are. Except for replacing Freddie, our team has been the same for two years. And Attie was on the team for three years with Scor and I, so of course it'll be a change for all of us." Amanda was quite proud of herself for not pausing or hesitating when she said Atria's name.

"You're right." Ariella brightened. "I'm sure we'll have it together by the Ravenclaw game."

"We will." Amanda said firmly and Ariella skipped off happily. She watched Scorpius talking with the other two chasers and thought about waiting for him, but they didn't look close to being finished.

She headed towards the locker rooms and was glad when she found them empty.

She surveyed a bruise on her arm as she took of her Quidditch robes, careful not to jossle her left arm too much. Damn, that quaffle had done a job. Despite the fact that their team was good, she was nervous and would be happy when the Quidditch season ended. It all seemed pointless somehow.

Amanda sat on the bench in front of her lockers and stared at her green robes hanging next to her broomstick.

"Amanda."

She jumped up and clutched her chest. Letting out a barked laugh until she saw who called her name.

"Atria…"

She looked different. That was the first thing Amanda noticed. The second thing was that Atria was bloody alive!

"What the hell are you doing here?" She screamed, her thoughts too wild to fully process what was happening. Atria looked confused.

"What? I thought we have practice…"

Amanda gasped, "You're alive!"

Atria jerked back, her black eyes narrowing. "Of course I'm alive." She said slowly and Amanda fumed.

"Where the hell have you been?"

Atria's lips thinned. "I had some things to take care of." Amanda's mouth dropped and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

She stepped forward and clenched her fists. "You had things to take care of?" She seethed, so angry she couldn't think. After almost two weeks of believing Atria was dead, it felt like a miracle that she was standing there. And Amanda could only be angry. "What about us? We thought you were dead!" She shouted.

Atria gasped, "Why would you think that?"

"That fucking exploded! Scorpius said you didn't make it out!" Amanda's palm started sticking, begging to slap something, so instead she shoved her hands into her hair. "The entire bloody estate imploded!"

Atria scoffed, "I didn't make it out with Scor, I had to take care of my dad and they needed to get Rose out of there. Two minutes later I apparated out." She folded her arms and Amanda breathed heavily still revved up from yelling.

After she was calm enough to speak, Amanda asked, "How could you apparate?"

"Family can apparate on and off the premise." Atria explained.

Amanda closed her eyes briefly. If Atria could apparate out… "Your father," Amanda gasped, but Atria shook her head slowly. Amanda swallowed. "He didn't make it out."

"He was dead before the house started coming down."

"Did you…"

"I cursed him and he flew against the wall and cracked his head."

Amanda released a sigh and with that all the anger fled her body. "Atria, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I apparated them out of there." Atria looked at the ground and Amanda didn't need to ask who "them" was. "I buried them a few days later. After that… I just thought about my entire life."

"You should have come to us." Amanda walked closer, getting a better view of how pale and thin Atria was. "We would have helped you through that." Amanda took Atria's hand and saw tears in the corner of her eyes. Without blue or purple hair, Atria suddenly looked like a completely different person.

"I didn't," Atria's voice cracked, "I didn't want you to see that."

"See what?"

"I was so upset." Atria wiped under her eyes quickly and looked away. Amanda tried to remember the last time she had ever seen Atria cry, but this was the first time.

"I wish we had been there. You shouldn't have had to bury your parents alone."

Atria shook her head. "You only knew them as villains. But they were more than that to me and I couldn't have said what I said in front of an audience. I loved them. I miss them and I shouldn't. They were-"

"You parents." Amanda interrupted. "No matter what else, they were your family. And especially your mum… she wasn't so bad."

Atria put a hand of her red eyes. "Merlin, I feel so guilty. I should have known something was wrong. She would have never killed my dad, but my dad sure as hell would have done her in. And he did." Her voice was muffled by her hand and Amanda wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Look, I can't imagine what you've been through, but we're here for you."

"You seemed pretty mad a second ago." Atria let out a laugh… or a sob, Amanda couldn't really tell. Her shoulders were shaking, but tears weren't falling anymore.

"That's because we thought you were dead and then you show up here acting like nothing happened? I didn't know what you were doing while you were away." Amanda inhaled deeply and then looked sharply at Atria. "But I'm still pissed you didn't at least send an owl. I mean, didn't you see the papers? Everyone thinks you're dead."

Atria pulled back and stiffed. "Everyone?"

"Yes! It was in The Prophet."

"Albus…"

"Has been flipping out and totally out of commission since Christmas."

Atria buried her face in her hands. "Shit, I never meant for this to happen. I never intended to hurt any of you, especially Albus." Atria started to sound panicked again. "How the hell am I going to tell him?"

Amanda shook her head at loss for words.

"Damnit, this is not what I planned."

"And we replaced you on the Quidditch team." Amanda muttered.

Atria's head whipped around. "What? With who?"

"Ariella Porter, a third year."

"A third year?" Atria said in amazement.

"She's pretty good."

Atria bit her lip and smirked. "So am I off the team?" She teased and Amanda's heart expanded. She never thought she would see that arrogant smirk again.

"You'll have to talk to Scorpius. Ariella won the position fair and square."

Atria laughed, "Right. Damn, I didn't expect to have to deal with so much drama. I thought you guys would yell at me for lying to you and hiding my past."

Amanda's eyes flared. "Don't worry, we'll get to that, but mostly I'm just happy you're alright. Now I feel like an idiot. We should have known, there was no proof other than Scorpius didn't see you make it out of the house."

"To be fair, it was a close call."

Amanda tossed Atria a dry look. "That doesn't make me feel better."

"Sorry." Atria said wryly and then frowned. "I am sorry. Merlin, what the hell am I supposed to say? 'Hey, I'm alive!'" Atria shook her head. Amanda couldn't even imagine how she would go about telling everyone.

Scorpius would be…

"What the hell?"

Speak of the devil. Amanda and Atria spun around. Scorpius was standing in the doorway, sweaty and dirty, clutching his broomstick. His eyes were wild and confused as he looked at Atria.

He looked like he didn't even recognize her.

"Scorpius," Atria stepped towards him.

Scorpius's mouth flopped open and closed a few times, like he couldn't find the words to express the situation. Amanda wasn't sure what Atria was going to say to him.

"I heard you replaced me as seeker." Atria folded her arms stubbornly.

Scorpius gasped in disbelief, no longer focused on the fact that she was alive. "We thought you were dead!" He shouted and marched over to her, carelessly dropped his broom.

"So I heard." Atria sighed. "I didn't know everyone thought that."

Scorpius breathed heavily. "How did you get out?"

"Apparition. Listen I'm sorry I didn't come back, there were things I had to do."

Scorpius waited for more of an explanation, but Atria didn't say anything. Amanda stepped in and put a hand on Scorpius's shoulder. "Look, I think we can all agree this was a surprise, but it was a good surprise."

"Bloody hell, you almost gave me a heart attack." Scorpius rubbed his chest.

Amanda turned to Atria. "I think the big problem is… how are you going to tell Albus."

Atria didn't have a response for that and Amanda felt that they should tell her exactly what happened after Christmas.


	41. Coming Clean

Atria felt like she was about to throw up. Two minutes. After two weeks she had thought she had rebuilt herself and come out of whatever dark place she had trapped herself in, but it only two took minutes to come crashing down. But then the real world came back and bit her in the ass.

Guilt consumed her. The only thing Atria had thought about for two weeks was her life—how could she have missed all the signs? She felt like an idiot for not realizing that it had been her father pretending to be her mother. And while she had been wrapped up in her past, her friends thought she was dead.

It had never occurred to her they would think she was dead.

She hadn't considered their feelings for two weeks. But when she realized how long she had been away she came back, expecting them to be royally pissed that she lied to them about who she was.

Atria certainly hadn't expected everyone to think she was dead. That was another obvious thing she missed. Of course her friends would assume the worst—the house came down, the barrier completely imploded, and she was missing for two weeks.

Now tip toeing around the castle, up to the Gryffindor common room, she was terrified of what Albus would say. Amanda and Scorpius had reamed her out for being gone, but before they had rescued Rose, they both had come to terms with who Atria was. But she and Albus had never finished their conversation and she was afraid that it would be too much.

Her leaving without telling him, her lineage, and him thinking she was dead—maybe he wouldn't want her anymore. That scared her more than anything because while she was away, Atria thought that it would be best for everyone if she stayed away. She had no clue if she was being hunted and she couldn't drag her friends and family into that.

As she peeked around the corner and saw the Fat Lady, she wondered what she would say to Albus.

Atria wanted to tell him that she needed him. He was part of the reason she came back and if he rejected her? She would move on, or try to, but there would be a part of her missing.

She wasn't sure how she was going to get through the Gryffindor common room unseen. Or even get into the the common room. She would have to wait until someone came out. Merlin, how would she approach Rose?

Maybe should could knock on the picture.

And then the Fat Lady would try to sing for her or screech at her for disturbing her paint.

The sound of the portrait hole opening made her jump. Atria lept around the corner, watching the Fat Lady swing open. Her breath caught when she saw Albus step through the portrait hole, with his bag over his shoulder, his messy black hair sticking out, and his eyes glued to the floor.

Tears blurred her vision. Atria had thought she could handle everything alone, but seeing Albus proved how wrong she was. At that moment, she wanted to run into his arms and use his strength to keep herself up. She was shocked she had survived two weeks without him, especially with what she had been dealing with.

Albus ruffled his hair and kept his head down, waiting for the stairs to switch to the landing her was standing on. He didn't look up. Atria wanted to see his eyes, but he didn't look up. She was mesmerized by his fingers fiddling with the strap of his bag. Even from five meters away, she could see the veins sticking out of his skin. His hands clenched around that strap, looking strained.

Atria was snapped out of her daze by the heavy staircase colliding with the landing. Albus stepped forward and Atria realized that he was about the walk away from her. Before she realized what she was doing, she jumped out from behind the corner and bounded after him.

"Albus!"

His hand shot up and around as she ran towards him. His mouth dropped and the stairs started to move as he gripped the banister. He started to step forward but realized that the staircase was no longer connected to the landing. Atria didn't let that slow her down.

"Atria," Albus whispered and then his eyes narrowed as she didn't slow down at the landing. "Wait! Don't-" Before he could finish, Atria lept into the air, hoping that she made the distance. She barely made the top stair and Albus grabbed her arm and dragged her onto the moving staircase.

"Albus," she breathed heavily and he gripped her shoulders, holding her at arm's length. They both stared for an undetermined amount of time. He stared at her with an open mouth and she stared at him with pleading eyes.

"Atria," he growled and her eyes widened, "why would you jump like that?" He finished and she frowned. Was that seriously what he wanted to ask her.

She stared up at him, her chest heaving up and down. "I didn't want to lose you."

Something flashed in his eyes, like comprehension. As if he realized that this was actually happening. "You didn't want to lose me?" He shouted and she jumped. "How about when I lost you?!" She glanced at the ground and he thrust his hands into his hair. "How are you alive?"

"I had no idea you thought I was dead." Atria said quickly.

Al's eyes widened incredulously and his mouth worked for a moment, trying to find the words. "The house collapsed! Scor said you didn't make it out and then the whole bloody place exploded with magic! WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO THINK?" He shouted and turned away from her. Atria wanted to put her hand on his shoulder, but was afraid of how on edge he was.

"I wasn't thinking," Atria whispered.

The staircase came to a sudden halt and they both lurched. Albus turned around. "That's the story of your life." He said with deadly calm and then pushed past her and got off at the landing. Atria released a breath and then followed him.

"Albus, please wait. I need to explain." She jogged to catch up with him, but he walked quicker so she was always a step behind him. "I never meant to hurt you."

He scoffed, "That's cliche."

She rolled her eyes, "Well, it's true. I didn't know you would think I was dead."

"What did you think would happen?" He snapped over his shoulder and she grabbed his arm and spun him around. He refused to look her in the eyes.

Atria gripped his arm. "I didn't think about what you would think. There wasn't a lot happening in my brain and I was selfish." She admitted. "I didn't even it had been two weeks until I pulled out of this haze I was in-"

"What brought you back?" He interrupted. Atria gave him a confused look. "Were you planning on coming back?"

Atria pulled away from him and folded her arms. "I wasn't thinking about anything other than where the hell my life went wrong. How could I not know it was my father…" she shook her head. "And I thought I could do it alone, but I couldn't."

Al's jaw clenched. "Do what alone?"

"Move on from all the lies in my life. My mum and dad… I thought if I buried them it would put everything to rest, but it didn't." Atria's vision blurred and she looked at the ground, not wanting him to see her cry.

She heard him sigh. "A lot of the lies were on your part."

Atria winced, but nodded. "I know. That was a mistake. But I came back, because I need you."

"You need me?"

She could tell he was smirking. A blush spread across her cheeks. "All of you. I thought I would have to answer questions about my past. I thought you would be mad at me for lying to you about my family, but I never imagined you would think I was dead."

"It was hell here too." His hand brushed her's and Atria looked up. His eyes were greener than she remembered. Her memories didn't hold a candle to seeing him in person. "Mum's going to clean out your room. We were staying at the Burrow because no one thought it would be a good idea to see our house… where we lived."

Atria gripped his hand, determined not to let him go. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have gone through that."

"I am pissed that you didn't come back. Or at least owl." Albus told her and she squeezed her eyes closed, praying that he would forgive her. "I have been so focused on grief, I didn't realize how mad I am at you."

She swallowed thickly, a lump forming in her throat. "Albus…"

"You should have told me you were leaving. I knew you had a secret, you told me that, but in the hospital if I had known that you were running off the your house alone…"

"I wasn't alone."

He ignored her. "I never would have told you that I needed time. You should have told me that you weren't planning on coming back."

The tears fell freely now. "I didn't think you wanted to talk to me."

"I would have made an exception for that!" He hissed and his hand tightened around her's. "But none of that changes the fact that…" Albus paused and Atria held her breath, "I am extremely happy that you're alive." Her breath whooshed out her lungs and she started sobbing.

Atria collapsed against him and his arms came around her. "I...I," She tried to speak, but the sobs racked her body and all she could do was press her face into his chest.

"We still need to talk about some things," he soothed a hand up and down her back. She nodded mutely, feeling an incredible weight lift off her shoulders. He tried to pull back, but Atria kept her arms firmly around him. Albus chuckled and tilted her head up.

"I love you."

Albus's eyes widened and Atria couldn't believe what she had just said. It hadn't been planned, but she knew without a doubt that those words were the most truthful thing she had ever said. Maybe now wasn't the right time, considering that Albus had barely accepted her back into his life, but he needed to know.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to her lips. She melted against him and his arms encircled her. Atria had never been more okay with being trapped in someone's arms. His tongue swept over her bottom lip and she groaned.

With his body pressed completely against her's, she felt whole again. Butterflies were in her tummy and she was just a girl with a boy whom she was deliriously in love with. The butterflies spread through her whole body when he nipped at her lip and then continued down to her jaw.

But then he pulled back. "We still need to talk," he breathed heavily and leaned his forehead against her's. She nodded slowly, still trying to remember how to form words.

"I know," she managed to say. "How long are you going to be mad at me?"

He shrugged. "A while."

"Alright. What did you want to talk about?" She took a deep breath and look up at him. They were still pressed together and she really hoped that he wouldn't pull away.

He cleared his throat, "The usual things. How did you fly under Ministry's radar? Why did you lie? The normal stuff."

She smiled. "Right." She put her head on his chest again and his arms tightened around her.

"Are you okay?" Albus whispered in her ear.

"What do you mean?" She frowned.

His nose brushed her cheek when he turned to look at her. "You said that you buried your parents."

"Oh. That. Well, it wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done. Actually it was all sort of a blur, but I'm just happy it's in the past." She said quickly and Albus gave her a hard look.

"You said you came back because you couldn't handle it alone, so let me help you. Enough with hiding things and trying to sweep them under the rug." He said firmly.

Atria sighed. "Alright. I apparated my parent's bodies out of my house and buried them in the French countryside next to my grandparents. Then I sat next to their graves for days wondering why family wasn't enough for my dad. I thought about how my mum died and then I thought about how this is what your family must feel like. People have suffered ten fold what I have because of my family."

"It wasn't your fault."

"I do not want to be associated with my family. That's part of the reason I didn't tell anyone."

Albus pulled back. "Attie, no one would have blamed you for anything your mum… er dad did."

"Even if people don't mean to, they will look at me an think of our history. They might not blame me for it, but there will always be a nagging question in the back of their mind. Is she really good?" Atria hugged herself tightly.

"Those people can go to hell."

A laugh bubbled out of her. "I have a feeling that's going to be most people." Albus looked at her, really looked at her. She knew what he was seeing. "I look like her," Atria whispered.

Albus refocused on her. "People probably don't even remember what she looked like."

"Professor Longbottom does. Hermione does." Albus sighed, but Atria didn't give him a chance to speak. "Your entire family does."

"You weren't even alive when she was. No one can blame you-"

She jerked away and felt herself shut down. "It's not about blame. People will look at me and remember Bellatrix Lestrange. My face is a constant reminder of what people lost and they will resent me for that."

Albus gripped her chin in his hand forced her to look at him. Him manhandling her shouldn't have been sexy, but it was. His determination to save her was down right devilishly handsome. "You have to make them see the real you."

"Which me? The liar? The egotist?"

"You're brave and loyal…"

Atria looked away from him, even though she couldn't move her face. "I'm not brave."

"Attie…" Albus sighed, like she was talking crazy.

She pulled out of his grasp and he looked like a three year old who had his favorite food taken away. Shocked and then angry. "I'm not brave. All those stupid stunts I pulled were just to cover up the fact that I am a complete coward. I belong in Slytherin more than anyone and it's not because of my name. I did what was necessary to protect myself even if it hurt others."

"Self-survival isn't a bad thing."

"Lying is." Atria insisted. "I was too afraid to tell you the truth-"

"You didn't want to hurt me."

"And I didn't want to go to Azkaban." Atria said and she wasn't sure why she was trying to convince him she was a bad person. She should just accept his forgiveness and move on, but somehow it was important that he knew who she was.

If they were going to continue, there would be no more lies.

Al pinched his nose. "Look, I'm incredibly furious with you for lying, but I understand why you did. You told me you had a secret and I accepted that."

"Would you have if you had know what the secret was?"

"I'm accepting it now, aren't I?" He demanded and she bit her lip. "Do you get that I'm not angry with you for lying about who you are? I'm beyond pissed because you didn't tell me what you were planning at the hospital. I'm pissed that you didn't have the common sense to send a note after everything went down." His voice rose as the rant continued.

He stood there, breathing heavily, for several moments.

Atria choked down a sob, "I'm broken." The back of her throat burned and a pounding started in her left temple. Albus placed his hands on her cheeks, cupping her face.

"You're not broken. Just cracked." He smiled and laugh rose out of her. "And that pretty damn impressive considering all the shit you've been through." Tears rolled down her cheeks and she leaned against his chest. "I'm okay with that. I love you because of your cracks."

Atria froze, the sobbing stopped.

And then it started again like a dam bursting.

"What?" She choked out and he vibrated with laughter.

"So is this what you actually look like?"

"Say it again." She demanded, looking up into Albus's eyes sternly.

He leaned down and whispered, "I love you." He softly kissed her lips. The feeling in Atria's stomach was why she came back. Because even though her world was falling apart Albus still gave her the flutters and made her happy.

"Yes, this is what I actually look like." She looked at the long black curls lying on her chest. "You saw me in Romania." Atria wasn't the type to change for a bloke, but if Albus didn't like her… well, he was used to seeing her through a layer of metamorphosing.

"I thought that was just the poison."

Atria paled.

"No, I didn't mean," Albus shook his head. "I just meant... I wasn't used to seeing you so pale or thin. You actually look like Scorpius and apparently loads of girls find him attractive." Atria laughed quietly and Al sputtered to recover from his insult.

"It's alright, I know I look different. But do you… like it?"

"I love you, the real you. And this isn't the real you. I miss your purple hair and wild eyes."

Atria looked at the ground. "I've been having trouble with magic."

Albus's eyebrows shot up. "How?"

"Having a shock can do this. My metaphoring isn't working and all the spells I cast are weak. It's part of the reason I came back." Atria didn't like having to admit that any more than she liked what was happening.

She hadn't even realized that her magic was so damaged until she came back into the wizarding world and had tried to change her face.

"You know what? Your hair is so black it kind of looks blue."

Atria grinned and stepped closer. He towered over he so she didn't even bother trying to crane her neck to look at his face, she simply pressed her cheek into his chest. One arm tightened around her shoulders and the other around her waist.

"I've never been so dependent on someone in my life." She told him quietly, unsure how she felt about needing someone.

Albus sighed, "I need you too. Believe me, I need you."

"Was your magic affected?"

"Not like yours. I actually think it's been crazier…. I've been really angry and that's been coming out in some pretty potent ways."

"Your crazy is my kind of crazy."

"I think your crazy is a bit more…. Well, just more."

Atria hit his arm playfully. "Everything's going to go back to normal now." She said hopefully, enjoying the playful banter they had.

Albus hesitated and she cursed herself for pushing things too fast. Of course everything wouldn't go back to normal!

"Atria, I love you. But we're going to have to adjust to a new normal. Things have changed but we can change to." Her arms tightened around him, the prospect of change sounding very unappealing.

"I don't want things to change." She whispered. "I love you."

"As long as that never changes I think we'll be alright." He assured her, but there was still a sinking feeling in her gut. At least this time, it wasn't as bad as when she was keeping her secret, but she still had a feeling that things were going to go wrong. "How will you tell the others?" Albus asked, pulling Atria from her pessimistic thoughts.

"Scorpius and Amanda already know."

"They knew?!" Albus shouted and Atria shushed him.

"No!" She snapped and rolled her eyes. "I saw them down at the Quidditch pitch… with my replacement." She sneered. Albus snorted and shook his head. "And Amanda said I might not get back on the team."

"Atria, that girl won the spot fair and square."

"You sound like Amanda."

Albus continued, "And is it really a good idea to take that away from her? She'll probably be the seeker next year and maybe it's better to send her in with some experience…"

Atria stared at him, "You're just saying this because you want to win the cup."

"Yep."

She tried to smack him again, but he grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth. "You can't push other people out of your way to get what you want." He placed a kissed to her palm. "And Amanda and Scor are probably trying punish you." Albus added. Her mouth popped open, but she really didn't have a response.

They were trying to punish her. Amanda would be passive aggressive for weeks and Scorpius would be politely distant. And Rose… Atria actually had no idea about how Rose would react. "I haven't told Rose though."

"I know. I was just with her."

"This is harder than I thought it would be."

Albus raised his eyebrow, a trick she still envied. "You thought coming back two weeks after we all found out your the granddaughter and daughter of Death Eaters would be easy?"

"Easier than coming back from the dead." She said glibly. "How is Rose?"

"She's been… surprisingly okay. She threw herself into Head duties and homework when we came back."

Atria stared at the torch on the stone column of the wall. The entire hallway was lit by torches, throwing a dark orange color off of Albus's hair. She wondered if Scorpius had told Rose about his feelings and in turn, if everyone knew.

"And Scorpius has been busy with Head duties too?"

"Yeah, we've all been keeping ourselves busy."

Clearly, trying to syphon information from Albus was a useless course. Either Scorpius hadn't told Rose he was in love with her or they were keeping it a secret. Knowing Scorpius he could keep it to himself for his whole life and suffer in silence. Or he would have told Rose as soon as her saw her.

"I have to go tell Rose."

"She's in the Gryffindor common room."

Atria sighed and wrung her hands. "I'll go wait in the Head's dorm."

"You won't be able to get in."

"Then I'll wait outside."

Albus chuckled and shook his head. Even in only two weeks, his hair seemed much longer than it had been. She reached up and ran a hand through his shaggy hair. "Your hair is so long." A piece in front fell into his eyes and she brushed it away.

"I know. It needs to be cut."

"No." She said quickly. "I like it." He grinned and she dug both hands into his hair and pulled his head down to hers. Their lips collided and suddenly he was kissing her furiously. He nipped at her lips with his, then with his teeth.

Albus's hands made their way around her and he took several steps forward, walking her back into the wall. Atria gasped when her back his the hard stone, but it didn't even hurt. His lips never broke from Atria's, even when his hands traveled down her back.

Suddenly, the hands on the back of her legs hoisted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he continued to kiss her.

"I love you." He whispered, a kiss between each word.

"Me too." He kissed her. "I mean…" his lips pressed against her jaw, "you. I love you."

She breathed heavily, struggling the find the words as his lips trailed across her jaw and then down the column of her neck.

She gripped the back of his neck urging him on. When he reached the top of her button-down shirt, he paused and then popped one button open exposing her collarbone. For a second he just stared at her. Nothing but her bra strap was even showing, so she wasn't sure what he was so caught up in.

"Albus." She whispered and his face seemed to move closer unconsciously. His nose brushed against her collarbone and then his lips pressed against the sensitive spot. She tilted her head back against the wall, giving him more access.

But he hesitated. "This is not the right place for this." His throat sounded constricted and raspy which only made her want to do this more. She kissed him, but after a few seconds he pulled back. "I'm not going to shag you against a wall." He said more firmly.

She sighed as he set her back on her feet. "I wasn't complaining."

"We don't have protection."

"That's what magic is for."

"I don't have my wand, so unless you want to try the spell and take our chances… or the chances of a student or professor catching us in the middle of the hallway." Albus reasoned and she hated when he was right. He must have seen the look on her face because he smirked. "Sometimes you don't think."

"I know."

"I still love you."

She buttoned her shirt. "You keep saying that."

"It's true. I didn't tell you before and then you died, or at least I thought you did."

"Sorry again." She blushed.

He stepped back. "Let's just not do it again."

"Deal."

"Go tell Rose." He said firmly. He gripped her shoulders and turned her.

Atria swallowed. "Right now?"

"Yep." He pushed her down the hallways from behind. He pushed her towards the stairs. She hoped he wasn't going to make her go into the Gryffindor common room. "And after that you're going to McGonagall's office and she's going to owl my parents."

Atria groaned and dragged her feet.

* * *

The Slytherin common room was a dark and rather dreary place under normal circumstances. For the last week and a half it had been down right dead. Ariella was sitting with a group of students, all flocking around her probably trying to get on the in with the new seeker.

It was rare for a third year to make the team. It was even more rare halfway through the season. Amanda had no doubt that Atria would kick up a big storm, which would only make Scorpius more determined not to give in to her and keep Ariella on the team. No good would come from that.

As an afterthought Amanda thought about Atria's secret. Everyone would assume that everything slightly negative Atria did was because of her family history. She couldn't afford to be as reckless and unthoughtful as she once was.

"Amanda!"

Ariella jumped up and raced over to her. She looked slightly nervous as she glanced at her adoring fans. Amanda wanted to keep walking and let Scorpius deal with this, but Ariella wouldn't understand.

"How are you?" That was a stupid question considering the bad thing that was about to happen hadn't happened. And Amanda wasn't sure that Atria's return was supposed to be public knowledge.

"A little overwhelmed." Ariella rubbed her arm. "Everyone is expecting me to fail."

"What? Why would they think that?"

"How could I possibly win? Even if I play well, I will never be as good as Atria."

Amanda couldn't argue with that. "It will all work out. Quidditch is just a game after all."

Ariella giggled. "That sounds like blasphemy."

"Yeah, don't tell Scorpius I said that."

"I won't."

Amanda rubbed her fingertips together. "Well, I should go."

"Thanks." Ariella smiled gratefully and Amanda felt a stab of guilt. A whole lot of dung was going to come down on this third year when people found out that Atria was alive—maybe not as much that was going to come down at Attie, but when Slytherin found out that they had their star back and Scorpius was probably still going to put the third year on the pitch? Merlin, the whole house after them.

Fortunately, a second year interrupted them. "Amanda Smith, Headmistress McGonagall wants to see you in her office." The second year spoke like he had been intrusted a mission from Merlin himself.

Amanda's heart dropped.

Arielle pressed her lips together, "What did you do?"

"I became friends with a crazy person."

Ariella looked at her with a confused expression. Amanda shook her head and made her way out of the Slytherin common room. As she left the eery green for grey stone, she thought about what McGonagall wanted to see her about. It had to be about Attie. Two hours had passed since Amanda, Scorpius, and Atria had gone in different directions.

Amanda was willing to bet that Atria had gone straight to Albus and Albus had probably freaked out. Luckily, he was the sensible one in that relationship so he probably also convinced her to do the right thing—tell everyone she was alive immediately. She wondered if Atria had seen Rose. If Albus had told her to see McGonagall he would have also told her to see Rose as well.

Amanda arrived at the giant stone bird half in a daze, unsure how she had really gotten there. "Of course I didn't get a password with that summon." She muttered under her breath.

"Butterbeer berries." Professor Longbottom said from behind her. The eagle spun and revealed the stairs.

Her heart jumped. "You startled me." She pushed a piece of hair behind her ear and stepped forward to go up to McGonagall's office.

"Sorry. Do you know why we were called?" He adjusted his tie and almost dropped all of the papers he was carrying.

Amanda watched as he scrambled to catch a paper out of the air and tried to think of what to say. His parents had been tortured by Atria's grandparents and it would be cruel for Amanda to let him walk in there and be blindsided by Bellatrix Lestrange's likeness.

"Maybe."

Professor Longbottom looked at her quizzically. "What happened?"

"Atria is alive." Amanda spoke as calmly as she could. She wanted to just take off up the stairs. "She's been depressed since her parents died and didn't even realize how long she had been gone. And she didn't think about how we would feel."

Longbottom looked like she had struck him. He stared ahead for a few moments and then looked at her. After swallowing thickly he said, "How did she survive?"

"Apparently she could apparate out. We were all worried for nothing."

Professor Longbottom rubbed his eyes. "How is she?"

"She was completely surprised we thought she was dead. She expected to come back and have us all be pissed at her for lying, not peeved because she let us think she was dead." Amanda folded her arms and assessed her teacher, who looked relatively normal. "Are you okay?"

"I was shocked when Harry told me about… her family. I never would have guessed in a million years. If I didn't see it then, why should I see it now?"

Amanda let out a long breath. "She's expecting you to hate her."

"I don't."

"She thinks people will see her differently."

"Only the people who don't matter will. Her friends and family know who she is—brilliant, reckless, sometime unthoughtful, but not intentionally cruel. If I can look past it, so can you."

And that was it. Amanda wanted someone to tell her that it was alright to hate Atria. If anyone was going to do that, it would have been Neville Longbottom. She started to walk up the stairs. It didn't make sense—she was running away from forgiving Atria by running to Atria.

She hesitated when she reached McGonagall's office and then slowly pushed the door open. McGonagall was standing behind her desk, Albus was standing behind Atria, and Rose was sniffling the in corner.

Atria turned around and looked at Amanda. Something flashed across her face—guilt or pity? McGonagall's lips were thin and her withered face was strained. Rose had red blotches are her eyes and Scorpius was rubbing her shoulder comfortingly.

"Albus, your parents are on their way." McGonagall said. Amanda guessed she had interrupted whatever they had been talking about.

Atria's scowl deepened.

"What did they say?"

McGonagall folded her hands. "Things not appropriate to repeat in front of children."

"We're all seventeen." Amanda smirked as she walked farther into the room.

"They're going to kill me." Atria rubbed her temple.

Albus shrugged. "Probably."

"There are other things we need to discuss." McGonagall said. "The Ministry is going to want to speak with you." Atria groaned. "And you've missed valuable class time…"

"I'll catch up."

"And you've been replaced on the Quidditch team," Amanda said. Professor Longbottom gave her a scathing look which she ignored. Atria glared at her as well.

"I heard." Atria said tightly. "And if you feel that's best for the team, then that's fine."

Everyone seemed to be holding their breaths for the "but", but it never came. Atria kept her mouth shut and for the first time, Amanda looked at her for a long while. She looked so different without her blueish purple hair, but it was more than that. Her eye color and hair color had changed, but so had her facial structure.

Amanda never knew that her plump lips were metamorphosing, or that her round cheeks weren't natural. Instead, her lips were full but stern and her cheeks looked like they could cut diamond. The little bit of color she always had, whether it was pink or tan was gone, now she was just pale. Gone was the colorful, lush hair and replaced it was big frizzy curls of black hair.

She looked a little bit like Mr. Maloy and Scorpius.

But Atria really looked like Bellatrix Lestrange.


	42. Forgiving, But Not Forgetting

Ginny, Harry, Hermione, and Draco Malfoy showed up within three minutes of each other.

"Ron is on the way." Harry said immediately as he stepped out the fireplace. Atria shrunk into the seat.

"Great, I was really worried about that." Atria muttered and Harry slowly looked at her.

His mouth worked and words seemed to get choked in his throat.

Amanda smirked, "I think the words you're looking for are "what the actual hell"." Atria tiled her head back and rolled her eyes. She couldn't really be mad at Amanda—this is what she expected all of them to act like. Scorpius seemed to caught up with Rose to be angry at her and Albus seemed pissed but happy.

It was too soon to tell Harry's reaction.

Hermione appeared in a green cloud of fire in the fireplace. All eyes went to her, but her eyes went to Atria. "You're alive."

"Yes, and before anyone asks anymore question: no, I didn't know you thought I was dead. Yes, I survived the house collapsing. And yes, my parents are dead. Did I miss anything?"

"The violent hurt you caused us?" Amanda chimed in.

"Everyone be quiet." McGonagall snapped and the room fell silent. Twenty five years later and the Golden Trio still acted as if McGonagall was their teacher and she was about to serve them a detention. "There are many logistics that need to be dealt with. The repercussions of bringing you back to life, for example."

Atria bit her lip. McGonagall was right of course, things were much more complicated than she expected, which for the millionth time made her feel stupid. Amanda was right—she never thought about others except when it served herself. She came back to Albus because she needed him, not because she was worried about him.

"What will the Ministry do?" Rose sniffed and bit her lip worriedly. Draco Malfoy appeared in the fireplace, a perfectly sculpted look on his face. If Atria had to guess, he spent five minutes before flooing over making sure there were no emotions on his face. She was grateful for his restraint because she didn't think she could take another person looking at her judgmentally.

Instead, he answered Rose's question. "Well, they can't do anything now. The Prophet already released that article naming Atria a self-sacrificing hero and the Ministry promoted that article." Draco shook his head.

"They did?" Atria gasped.

Amanda smiled for the first time since Atria had come back. "Yeah, Lily kicked their asses with some blackmail. You would have been proud."

"Proud of what?" Ginny asked, joining the rest of them.

"Lily standing up to the Ministry." Scorpius said.

"Where is Lily? And Hugo?" Rose asked, leaning into Scorpius. She was probably grateful that Ron wasn't there.

"I haven't notified them yet." McGonagall said and then glanced at the parents. "I assumed you would want to tell them."

"How do we tell everyone else?"

Ginny folded her arms and looked at Atria. "Are you planning on coming back to school?"

Atria was taken back. Of course she was expecting to come back to Hogwarts! That's why she came back! And she had expected Ginny to tell her that she had to finish her seventh year… that it was important for her future. If someone would actually hire her now.

Then Neville spoke. Atria cringed at what he might say.

"I think you should."

The shock in the room was palpable. Atria stared at Neville Longbottom with an open mouth and everyone else seemed to have a similar look on their face. "Really?"

"If you're going to convince the wizarding world that you're not a threat, I think it would be good for you to rejoin your classmates. Prove to everyone that your friends and family are with you." Neville said encouragingly and then glanced at Ginny and Harry, who still looked dumbstruck.

Harry shook off his stupor. "Of course we are."

To Atria's surprise Amanda agreed. "We always were and always will be." Amanda saw Atria's face and rolled her eyes. "Just because I'm pissed at you doesn't mean I want you to be served up on a platter for dementors." She folded her arms defensively.

"Thanks." And Atria meant it.

Rose sniffled, "So what do we have to do to prove that Atria is innocent."

"Nothing." McGonagall sniped. "Ms. Smith is correct. Once the Prophet published that article with the Ministry's support… it gave Ms. Williams—er…. Ms. Lestrange—full immunity. They can hardly condemn her after they named her a hero."

Atria's eyebrows shot up. "I'm a hero?"

Rose perked up. "You saved my life and sacrificed your own—sort of. And I haven't thanked you for that yet."

"Yeah, you were too busy crying."

"I thought it was my fault you were dead!" Rose shrieked and Scorpius rubbed her arm. Hermione hurried over to her daughter, as if she had been too focused on Atria to realize Rose's distress.

"It was never your fault." Atria whispered under Rose's hyperventilation. "If anything, I should have seen it sooner."

Hermione shook her head. "No one could have seen that coming."

"I should have."

No one replied. Atria looked at Albus and recalled how forgiving he had been. Then she remembered her last secret. Voldemort was her grandfather and she had to tell everyone. She was going to do it right now. The words were perched on her tongue, but got stuck in her throat. A noise must have escaped because Albus gave her a quizzical look.

"There's something else."

Everyone looked at her. Like what else could there possibly be?

"Tom Riddle is my grandfather."

She could only imagine their reactions, but Atria only focused on Albus. The shock was evident on his face, but he didn't seem too horrified.

"I KNEW IT!"

Atria looked at Rose. "How could you know?"

"Your father told me… and well, the timing would have worked out, I suppose."

"Oh."

"And Rose told us." Harry added.

"Bloody hell, I thought this would be a huge shock."

"It is to me!" Albus shouted.

"And me!" Amanda rubbed her hands over her eyes. "I need a nap… or coffee, I can't decide."

"So you or your mum could have opened the Chamber of Secrets!" Albus gasped. "That's wicked."

Atria shook her head. "No, just me. My mum wasn't a parseltongue." Harry frowned, but Hermione spoke quicker.

"She must have been. She would have been an heir of Slytherin and therefore, a parseltongue." Hermione's face screwed into a position of deep thought.

"But she wasn't."

"Then you couldn't be Voldemort's heir." Harry said finally.

Rose pulled away from her mum and Scorpius. "But her father told me."

Neville raised his hand and waited for everyone to stop murmuring. Then he looked at Atria. "Do you know for a fact that your grandfather is Tom Riddle?"

She hesitated and looked at Albus. "Well… no. I just assumed when I realized I could speak to snakes. The timing was right and my father obviously thought I was as well."

Draco cleared his throat. He had been so silent Atria almost forgot he was there. "And you were able to apparate out of Castel Lestrange. You wouldn't have been able to if you weren't blood related."

"I thought…" she stuttered, "that because my grandmother was technically a Lestrange—"

"But not by blood. Otherwise I could have apparated out." Draco said.

Atria felt like she had been knocked on her ass. Again. Two truths she had always assumed to be true had been whipped out from under her. "But…" she couldn't think of anything to say. This should be good news, but for some reason she just felt stupid. Like all the people around her knew her history better than she did. "I'm a parseltongue! How could I speak to snakes if I wasn't… you know!?"

Hermione stumbled of her words until she formed a clear answer. "It is possible for a person to just get the gift."

Atria was baffled. She was a metamorphmagus and a parseltongue simply by chance? Somehow, she liked the idea of there being a reason for it all. Instead it was simply coincidence.

"Then why did the Sorting Hat put me in Slytherin?" She knew the answer as soon as she asked the question. If Atria recalled, she was telling Albus about how she was a coward and did risky things to try to cover it up. "Nevermind."

"This is a good thing." Scorpius said slowly.

"I know, but two major things that I've held to be true… aren't."

Rose bit her lip. "But that's a positive thing."

Atria shot Rose a dirty look, unsure of her meaning. How could it be a good thing that her mum was dead. "How?"

"Well, your mother wasn't a mass murderer." She replied hesitantly.

Harry chimed in. "And you said your mother was kind before she 'killed your father'."

"Kind to me." Atria agreed.

"How is it that the daughter and granddaughter of Bellatrix Lestrange turned out to not be horrid people?" Neville asked thoughtfully.

"I'm not saying she wasn't prejudiced." Atria said quickly. "Because she wouldn't even go near most of you."

Albus frowned. "She would've wanted you to be with a pureblood."

"Who cares what she wants? She's dead." Atria said abruptly. It was probably the first time she had said it aloud, but it rolled off her tongue. She didn't give anyone a chance to process what she had said. "I love you." She leaned in and kissed Albus lightly on the cheek.

Ginny coughed. "So things are moving quickly with you two?"

"It's been four months," Albus said indignantly. Atria felt her heart swell at his pronouncement. Had it already been four months since she had agreed that maybe things could work between them? It had gone by so quickly, yet felt like so much had happened in those short months. It felt like a lifetime ago, but as if that lifetime happened yesterday.

"Four months?" Scorpius said slowly and Atria realized that Albus must not have given them all the details. They had no idea when the couple had gotten together and must have assumed it was somewhat recently.

Albus cleared his throat and avoided eye contact. "We decided not to tell anyone."

"Why?" Amanda demanded. "You didn't trust us?"

"We weren't sure if it would work out." Atria said quickly and Albus threw her a look.

"You mean you didn't want to admit you were wrong." Albus said dryly.

Atria folded her arms, "You were wrong about me too."

"And I gladly admit that you are not as horrible as I thought." Albus smirked.

Harry muttered, "Or as you could have been."

"Yes, it's a miracle I'm not a bloodthirsty murdered." Atria snapped sarcastically.

"It really is." Hermione said thoughtfully. "Where is Ronald?"

Harry rubbed the back of his head, further messing up his hair. "There was quite a bit to sort out at the Ministry."

Atria paled. "You told them I'm alive."

McGonagall scoffed and looked down over her glasses. "Well, it could hardly stay a secret forever."

"I didn't expect you to run straight to the Ministry." Atria said accusingly, even though it was completely irrational that she should be cross with them.

Harry didn't seem to take the affront personally and replied evenly, "We were in a meeting when the owl came through. Ron and I read it and knew that we couldn't both run out. So I left while he explained the...situation."

Draco folded his hands behind him. "Are they on their way?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Harry admitted.

"We need to get some things settled before we deal with whatever bureaucratic nonsense the Ministry throws at us." McGonagall said tightly. "I think your roommates will be quite surprised to have your bed filled again. It's hardly an administrative issue, more personal really."

"Drama." Amanda said wryly.

Rose wrung her hands, "But Attie will be able to come back to classes without any fuss right?" Atria had once hated the nickname her friends had come up with, but she was happy to hear it. 'Attie' almost sounded like a word of acceptance now—like there was some hope to return back to normal.

"There might be some backlash from students—"

Scorpius cut McGonagall off. "Harassment."

"The teachers and staff will do our best to ensure that this school is a safe place…"

"But people will hate me." Atria finished.

Albus took her hand. "They hate your grandmother. And father."

"And family." Atria laughed humorlessly.

"Why don't you go back to the dorm?" Hermione suggested kindly.

Atria swallowed, dreading seeing all her classmates. "Right now?"

"We'll send for you if the Ministry arrives." McGonagall said firmly and Atria knew that it was no longer a request—she had to go face the world.

* * *

Everyone was staring at her. She was used to people staring—usually in amazement—but now it was with malice and weariness. Scorpius and Amanda were on either side of her, but everyone else at the Slytherin table was sitting at least three feet away from the trio.

"They're scared of me." Atria said.

"Slytherins are known for being cowards."

Lily plopped down across from them. Scorpius frowned, "It's not just the Slytherins." Then he looked guiltily at Atria, but she waved him off. Lily ignored him and just looked excitedly at Atria.

"I'm so glad you're back! Things were getting boring." Lily looked at her with bright eyes.

Atria smiled. "I think boring sounds nice."

Lily sniffed. "No. Boring is boring."

Atria couldn't argue with her, but for some reason boring sounded like a good thing at the moment. It seemed like now that he secret was out, also gone was her desire to perform crazy stunts to prove something.

"Things will liven up with Quidditch anyways." Lily said.

Atria glared at Scorpius and he sighed. "I've already given her spot away and she's upset." Lily couldn't be more delighted with this news, which made Atria satisfied that everyone knew Scorpius was making the wrong choice.

"Lily already knows that," Amanda chastised, "she's just trying to stir up the pot."

The youngest Potter didn't look abashed in the slightest.

"Have we any news from the Ministry?" Scorpius asked, not so subtly changing the subject.

"No." Atria said grumpily. "It's been two days and they haven't stormed the castle, so I doubt they're going to do anything. As Amanda said in Minnie's office, it's not like they can cry wolf now after they've already pronounced me a sheep."

Lily grinned smugly. "Thanks to me."

"Right." Atria hid a smile and scooped some pudding onto her plate. "I keep hearing about this incident. I feel like we should call it The Great Matter and we'll discuss it at Christmas for years to come." Scorpius chuckled and smiled into his goblet before taking a long sip. Nothing was said for a pregnant pause.

Atria picked at the leftover chicken, not sure if she actually wanted the pudding. Rose was very insistent that she needed to put on weight, but Atria was never all that hungry. She wondered how long it would be until she was able to stomach a full meal. If she tried to eat too quickly or too much it gave her a horrible stomach ache. Not to mention the image of her parent's corpses that was always in the back of her mind put a damper on her apetite.

In effort to avoid her food, she glanced towards Albus at the Gryffindor table. Unfortunately, he was talking with Rose—actually he was talking at Rose. The red haired girl was staring off into the distance… right at Scorpius. And Scorpius was staring back. Atria would have loved to have been privy to their thoughts at that moment because they were going to burn holes in each others faces if they kept staring for much longer.

Atria was sure they had spoken to each other about their feelings, but hadn't enlightened their friends about the new romance. Given that Albus hadn't said anything to her about it, she was positive he didn't know.

Although, if Rose and Scorpius kept up with the longing looks Albus was going to find out real soon.

"Scorpius," she muttered without looking at him. He jerked his head and almost knocked over his goblet of juice.

"Sorry what?"

She rolled her eyes and whispered, "Someone is going to notice the staring."

As if to punctuate her point, Lily loudly said, "What were you looking at?"

Scorpius's face stayed straight and he replied evenly. "Albus. It's amazing how quickly he's recovered. Is he still cross with you?" And just like that, Scorpius had flipped the tables on Atria and put her romance on the spot instead of himself.

"He's…" Atria wasn't really sure. "Sometimes he feels the need to punish me and other times it's like nothing happened."

"What type of punishment?" Amanda smirked suggestively and Lily's face twisted in disgust.

"Please! Wait until I leave." Lily covered her ears and lept up. "Lalalala." She sang childishly as she walked off. Amanda rolled her eyes and refocused on Atria.

"Not like that." Atria scoffed.

"Have you…" Amanda trailed off, but Atria knew where she was going and blushed.

"No." She looked down. "Never had a chance. It's never been the right moment."

Scorpius was pulled from his thoughts and gave the two girls a weary look. "Are you lot talking about…" He couldn't find the words.

"Shagging." Amanda said bluntly and Atria gaped.

"Amanda!"

Scorpius shifted uncomfortably and Atria decided to take the opportunity to turn the tables on him.

"I can't be the only one with a love life."

Scorpius stopped moving.

Amanda bit her lip. "We've been occupied. How could we possibly start a new romance when we were all heartbroken over your death." Atria gave Scorpius a long look and he had the sense to look guilty. But after a long moment, she took pity on him.

"I wouldn't blame any of you for moving on." She said quickly. "I mean, you did replace me after all." Amanda and Scorpius both groaned. "Not that I'm holding a grudge or anything. But, have you thought anymore—"

A cold, wet substance poured over her head and a sharp gasp fell out of her mouth.

Scorpius sprung away from her, so the liquid wouldn't get on him.

"That's for my family, you bitch."

Atria was so busy wiping juice out of her eyes that she didn't even see who did it. The entire Great Hall was silent and McGonagall stood up quickly.

"Everly! Come to my office after dinner." She boomed across the hall. Amanda quickly wiped a napkin across Atria's face and when she was able to see again her eyes met Al's. He was staring in shock, but with every passing moment anger crept into his features.

After a few moment the students started whispered and mumbling. Atria ignored it and stood up slowly. She left the Slytherin table with all eye on her and felt her friend's presences behind her.

Albus's voice floated from behind her as they exited the large doors of the Great Hall. "Atria, wait!" She walked even quicker. She felt like crying, but no tears came and she knew they wouldn't. It was difficult to be upset when she completely understood what had just happened. And how could she blame the girl who had dropped a flagon of pumpkin juice on her?

"I'd like to be alone if that's alright." She said firmly, not bothering to turn around.

"Attie—" Rose started.

"I'm alright." Atria insisted. "I should clean up though, shouldn't I?"

"Will you be back in the common room?" Amanda asked softly.

"Yes, I think so. Unless Rose wants to let me soak in her Head's bathroom."

Rose turned up her nose. "That is for the Heads only."

Atria laughed at how much had changed but some things always stayed the same.

"Everything will get better." Scorpius assured her.

"I know."

Albus gripped her arm to stop her from charging forward. "Promise you'll come find me later." She looked into his green eyes and felt lighter.

"You have the map. You find me." She teased and a ghost of a grin flitted across his face. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and laughed.

"You taste like pumpkin juice."

Amanda barked out a laugh and Rose giggled.

"We should get back to dinner. Pretend like nothing's happened." Amanda suggested and Atria made her exit. Just as she was turned around the corner, she heard Scorpius say, "Actually, Rose and I have something we want to tell you."

* * *

"I can't believe they didn't tell us." Albus exploded when she walked into the Room of Requirement. He had obviously been sitting there anxiously waiting for her to come in. Atria signed as she sat down next to him, enjoying the comfy space he had created.

She rubbed his arm soothingly. "Was it really such a surprise?" Albus looked at her like she had smacked him over the head. "I mean… it makes sense."

"She's my cousin!"

"And Scorpius is mine." She fired back.

Albus sputtered, "But he's experiences!"

"One snotty girlfriend is hardly experience."

"Oh, don't act like you don't know."

Atria sighed, thinking this was getting them nowhere. "He is in love with her."

"That's what he said."

"And it's true!" She insisted, gripping his bicep. He leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. Black hair fell into his eyes, shielding them from Atria. She brushed some pieces back from his face and he pressed his cheek into her palm. "I love you."

"I love you." He replied, somewhat reluctantly as if he didn't want to give into her argument. "But they share a room. A private dormitory where no one else is around."

"He won't hurt her. And she wouldn't let him—you must have more faith in Rose, she can take care of herself." She stroked the pad of her thumb over his cheekbone. Her finger trailed down the edge of his jaw until it reached his chin. Atria turned his face to look at her. "You wouldn't like it if someone—especially someone you care about—told you that we couldn't be together."

He sighed. "No, I wouldn't."

"And you have more experience than me."

"You've had two boyfriends."

"And I'm still a virgin." Atria raised her eyebrows as his mouth flopped open and closed.

He choked out, "How do you know I'm not?"

"You told Rose."

Albus jerked back. "I knew when she came to me asking about shagging you had to be involved."

"Amanda was involved as well! But that's hardly the point." She dismissed his crossness.

"What is the point?" He asked, annoyed.

"Everyone deserves to be happy. No matter their past. You will have people tell you that I'm not good enough for your because of my lineage, but you still think Scorpius isn't good enough because he has 'experience'?" She tried to make him understand. "Will you abandon me because I'm not good enough for you?"

"Of course not—"

"Then how can you expect Scorpius to give up Rose?"

He didn't respond for a long time and when he did, he changed the subject.

"Do you remember when we talking about what would happen after graduation?" He asked hesitantly. She recalled their conversation about where they would live and if it would be together.

"Yes."

"You were so… hesitant."

"I didn't want to give you false hope."

"And now?"

Atria scooted closer to him and pushed him back slowly. He lay sprawled in the corner of the couch with one arm slung over the back and the other draped across the arm. She crawled on top of him and propped herself up with a hand on his chest.

"I still think the plan we came up with was a good one. Amanda, Rose, and I should share an flat and you and Scorpius should be flatmates as well. We could live close or even in the same building." Atria said excitedly as he hands smoothed over her hips.

"What if Rose and Scorpius want to share?"

Atria paused, but soon brushed off that idea. "Rose will want her own space. And if we each roomed together then where would that leave Amanda?"

"I suppose we should talk about it with the others."

"It might be a good idea to include them in the discussion about their futures." Atria said humorously. She ran her hand up his chest to his neck and then leaned down and kissed him. He responded eagerly and she melted into his kiss. It seemed like it had been forever since they had had a good snog.

For a few minutes, she forgot the past few months—hell, she forgot all of her past—especially as his mouth broke from hers and trailed across her jaw. He started to shift and after some maneuvering, Albus flipped her to her back. She gasped and he aligned his body with hers.

"Please." She whispered into his mouth. Atria wrapped her legs around his waist, urging him on. He pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his muscular chest. She briefly remembered mocking him because he was too bulky to be a seeker. Well, she was hardly complaining now. The ripples in his stomach were too sexy to describe.

He separated their lips by two inches and whispered rough words. "Attie, I want you." He wasn't asking permission, but there was a question behind his words. He wanted to be sure that she was sure.

"I want you too." She rasped. "Does this mean you've forgiven me?" She asked carefully, not wanting to spook him.

"Forgiven, not forgotten." Albus replied with a teasing smirk and pressed his mouth to hers once more. He kissed her desperately and with ferocity that she had never experienced before.

When she opened her eyes while he was pulling her blouse off, she noticed that they were no longer lounging on a couch, instead laying on a luxurious bed. Atria wasn't sure when the Room of Requirement changed—when one of them had decided that they required a bed, but she wasn't sure when that was. It certainly hadn't been a conscious thought in her mind.

Once all their closed were discarded, she took the time to fully appreciate his body. They spent hours kissing and touching each other everywhere. Atria wasn't sure what she had expected from her first time, but complete and utter ecstasy was not it. Apparently the notion that sex was better with someone you loved wasn't bully.

Maybe it was because they spent so long testing and tasting before the joining, that by the time it happened she was practically begging for it.

And afterwards was like a dream as well. Their bodies slicked with sweat, pressed together, and never letting go.

This is what Atria wanted for the rest of her life and she wanted it with Albus.

**_Hello everyone! If anyone is still there, thanks for being patient and waiting! Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! - Alex_**


	43. Futures

_Dear Attie, _

_We haven't spoken much in the past few weeks, but Harry and I wanted to check in and see how you are doing. There are several things to talk about that aren't pressing, but are very important to your future. First, have you spoken with McGonagall or your Head of House about possible career opportunities?_

_We understand now why you were so hesitant to plan ahead, but that's all in the past and I think you should start focusing on the future. (Let Albus know he has the same responsibility)_

_Second, Harry and I were wondering if you had made living arrangements for after school. Obviously you're perfectly welcome to stay with us, but we'll have to move either you or Albus to the opposite end of the house. (And put up barriers) Harry and I want to speak with you and Albus about your relationship—don't think we aren't pleased! We are thrilled the two of you are finally getting along. (Harry is telling me you're doing more than "getting along") _

_Anyways, if you would prefer some distance, Mr. Malfoy has said that you could come and stay with him. In fact, he made it crystal clear that's what he would prefer. It's your choice, but you can stay with us for as long as you like. I expect a letter from Mr. Malfoy will arrive shortly after this one seeing as we talked only a few hours ago. _

_We will see you at the Quidditch match next week! _

_Love, _

_Ginny and Harry_

Atria set Ginny and Harry's letter down on her bed and looked at the other note.

_Dear Atria,_

_I would like to speak with you after the match next Saturday. _

_Draco _

She couldn't help but laugh at Draco's stunning personal interaction skills. After glancing at the clock, she realized she had been so engrossed in the two letters that she hadn't realized DADA was in about ten minutes.

Suddenly she was regretting not dropping this class after O.W.L.'s. Last week had been painfully embarrassing as her first DADA class in which everyone knew her true history with the Dark Arts. The second class had been slightly less tense, but everyone now watched with rapture when she couldn't perform a defense spell. Granted, she could do most of them, but perhaps not as well as she did attack spells or hexes.

And her magic was returning to the way it had been.

Thank Merlin Albus was helping her with the patronus charm, because without him in the room all the nasty thoughts in the back of her mind seemed to come forward. Every time she thought about that night in the Room of Requirement—and the three other nights since then—a shiver cascaded down her body and made her toes curl.

"_You and Albus shagged!" Rose squealed, the flickering fire make her hair reflect the flames. _

_Atria blushed, wondering if she had done the right thing in telling Amanda and Rose. Her immediate instinct was to hide it and continue like nothing had happened, but… last night had been too amazing not to share with her best friends. _

"_You can't tell Scorpius though!" Atria told Rose, who scoffed. _

"_Please, I wouldn't do that. But don't you think Albus will tell him?" Rose asked and tucked her legs under her. _

"_Maybe." Truthfully, she was unconcerned with which of her friends knew. She just didn't like the idea that Rose and Scorpius would have pillow talk about her relationship with Albus. _

"_How was it?" Amanda asked eagerly. _

_Rose's nose scrunched up. "He's my cousin." _

"_So you don't want to know how it was?" Amanda stared at her until Rose sighed. _

"_Alright, but don't refer to him by name."_

"_Who says I'm going to tell you anything?" Atria snapped without any real anger. _

_Amanda practically growled. "You had better tell us or I'll curse you." _

_Atria decided it was necessary to tell them so they would stop bothering her. And she also was too thrilled to hold it in_—_even if she wasn't entirely comfortable with sharing all the sordid details with Al's cousin. _

"_It was…" _

Atria pulled herself from the memory and grinned at the memory of Rose and Amanda's faces. Only a few students sat in the Slytherin common room and none of them paid any attention to her as she passed by the green leather furniture, which was an improvement upon the staring that had occurred when she first got back.

"Crap, I am so going to be late." She muttered as she sprinted down the third corridor and then tried not to trip on the moving staircase.

But she made it just in time, almost falling over as she leapt into her chair next to Amanda. Luckily, class hadn't started but everyone still turned to look at her.

"Where were you?" Amanda hissed as class began a second after the bell rang.

"Reading the letters I received."

"Oh, who were they from?" She whispered.

"Draco and Harry and Ginny."

"What about?"

"Am I interrupting your conversation?" Professor Linksan snapped.

"No." Amanda said quickly. "Sorry professor."

As soon as class was back on track, Atria muttered, "Living arrangements."

"The Potters don't want you to stay with them anymore?" Amanda asked in surprise.

"They do. But they'll separate Al and I."

"Makes sense."

"I know, but we were thinking we would all live together."

"All of who?"

Atria glanced up to make sure Linksan was still teaching. "Rose, you and I could live together and Scorpius and Al could flatshare."

Amanda stared at her for a moment. "You planned all this?"

"Just something Al and I spoke about."

"Let's talk about it more after class, before Linksan sends us out or gives us detention."

* * *

"So you planned our future without us?" Scorpius slung his arm around Rose, who still looked uncomfortable with everyone knowing about the two of them.

Atria perched on Al's lap. "Not exactly. We were planning our future and your futures sort of came into it."

"You two don't want to shack up?" Amanda asked Atria and Albus.

"We thought we ought to get settled into our lives before living together."

"I like the idea." Rose smiled softly.

Scorpius looked at her. "You do?"

"We would all be together, but have our own space." Rose chirped. "Scorpius and I are working at the Ministry. We should see about a flat near the Ministry. And the rest of you…?"

"I'm working with one of the Cevill brothers!" Albus said excitedly and the hand on Atria's hips squeezed. "His office is hidden in muggle London, so a flat near the Ministry works for me. But do we want a flat in muggle London or near Diagon Alley?"

"So we've decided this is happening?" Amanda's eyebrows shot up. "Because I have no idea where I'll be working next year."

Atria quickly said, "Neither do I! But I'm sure Charlie could help me figure something out." Albus gave her a questioning look and she added, "Not in Romania, but if he has connections in London."

"Amanda, do have any idea what you want to do?" Rose asked insistently.

"No and I wish everyone would stop asking. I'm not sure I'll be able to afford a flat." She propped her head up with her hand.

"A flatshare."

"All the same. I'm broke."

"What about healer's school?"

Amanda snorted. "I can't afford another two years of schooling."

"Look, we can cover you until you get on your feet." Atria shrugged.

"I don't want to take your money."

"It's my grandmother's money." Atria said fully.

Amanda paused thoughtfully. "I feel less guilty about taking money from her."

"You should. I blow her money all the time and I still have enough gold to fill several Quidditch pitches. We should go flat shopping immediately before all the good places are booked up. Do we want to buy or rent?"

"Buy." Scorpius said immediately.

Albus tensed. "I'm with Amanda. I have an internship worth about twenty thousand galleons a year and I have a savings not an inheritance."

"Buying an apartment in downtown London would cost almost fifty thousand galleons for two rooms and two baths."

"And one with three bedrooms would cost thousands more." Rose added.

"Price really doesn't matter." Atria stressed. She could understand why they didn't want to take money from her, but she wanted to do something for them. And she wanted them all to be together.

"It doesn't seem right…" Amanda bit her lip.

"You'll get a job. Even if it's not your dream job, you'll work your way up." Atria said.

"It'll all sort itself out." Scorpius agreed.

"So you're actually not going to let me play this Saturday?" Atria asked.

"You're bringing this up now?"

"It seemed like a good way to get away from the uncomfortable money topic."

"And onto the uncomfortable Quidditch topic." Rose muttered.

Atria folded her arms. "You blame me too?"

"We've forgiven you for nearly everything, but you can't accept that they had to replace you." Rose snapped with a bite Attie had never heard before. "Just think of this as your punishment for all the other stuff."

Atria wasn't sure exactly what to say. True, she could be very focused on a singular goal and everything else seemed to fall away. "So I should let it go? Miss out on my last year of Quidditch."

"Yes. Because you love us enough to not make our lives difficult." Rose said firmly.

"Alright."

Scorpius and Amanda looked abashed. "Alright?" Amanda hissed. "We've been trying to call you off for two weeks and Rose said two sentences and it's 'alright'?"

"Yes."

"Bloody hell."

Albus wrapped her arms around her from behind. "Now that that's settled, we should really get back to our own dormitories. Unless our Heads want to cover for us."

"Absolutely not!" Rose said immediately. "Besides we have class tomorrow and we need to have our rest. There are mere months before our N.E.W.T.'s."

Atria groaned and leaned back against Albus. She felt his chin lean on her right shoulder. "I'm going to fail my DADA N.E.W.T. and everyone is going to think it's because of my past." Albus stroked her shoulder lovingly.

"Technically, it is." Rose said.

Atria gave her a glare.

"Well, you never studied it!"

Scorpius groaned and then stood up. "Alright you lot, get out of our room."

Albus gave him a suspicious look. "What are you going to do when we lean?"

Scor shrugged and Rose hit his arm. "We're going to sleep, as should you." She insisted and to prove it, she marched up the stairs to the Head Girl's room without another word. Scorpius sighed, clearly disappointed.

"C'mon, Amanda." Atria stood up and brushed her lips over Albus's. "Goodnight."

"Love you." He muttered and squeezed her hand.

Amanda groaned. "Please, not in front of us."

"You're welcome to leave." Atria shot back, but Amanda waited patiently.

They went back to the door, tiptoeing through the halls so they wouldn't be caught by a wandering prefect or teacher.

* * *

Atria sat in the stands for the first time while Slytherin was playing. The only upside of this was that most of her house seemed to be on her side and couldn't understand why a third year was playing instead of Atria. At least Ariella seemed nervous. She should be. If Slytherin lost this game against Ravenclaw everyone would know that it's entirely her fault for not letting Atria play.

And Scorpius's fault as well. It should have been a clue that all of Ravenclaw was happy about Atria sitting out.

"Atria." Draco Malfoy sat down next to her in the stands. The only reason there were benched in the spectator stands were for pregame chat. No one was sitting during a Quidditch game.

Atria was relieved to see him.

"You're not playing?" He raised a pale eyebrow, managing to look confused and totally in control at the same time.

"Of course Scorpius didn't tell you." She mumbled. More people filled the Slytherin stands. "The third year he replaced me with is playing today."

"Is she better than you?"

"I don't know. But I'd imagine not seeing as it's her first time playing and it's a playoff match. If nothing else I have experience on her."

"Why is she playing?"

"To teach me a lesson." Atria folded her arms indignantly.

"Ah."

Atria looked sideways at Draco, thinking he might have some insight into how to deal with this. The man sat there, looking thoughtful, for a few moments. She became impatient quickly. "So what do I do? They've forgiven me, but Rose said this is my punishment."

"Do you think you need to be punished?"

Atria pinched her mouth closed. She had expected to be punished more than this, but now that it was actually happening she was angry. It was stupid and ridiculous how she was behaving and she knew it. Quidditch just seemed to be the only pure thing in her life—not tainted by her parents.

"Yes. But not with Quidditch."

"You would prefer Azkaban?"

"No! I just—I obviously expected to go to Azkaban, but now I just want everything to go back to normal."

Once again, Draco didn't say anything. She had always admired Draco and his ability to stay calm and keep an absent expression, but right now it just took the piss out of her.

"Do you want to stay here?"

"At Hogwarts?"

"Yes."

"You think I should drop out?"

Draco frowned. "I asked what you want, not what I think."

"I want to stay with my friends and for now, that means staying in school."

"Have you a plan for your future?"

"Not really."

"No plan?"

Atria bit her bottom lip. "Not a well formed one."

"Everyone must start somewhere. Tell me your not well formed plan."

"A zoo."

Surprise flashed across Draco's face and it was probably the first real emotion she had seen on him. "A magical zoo."

"A magical and muggle zoo! I especially want a leopard."

Draco swallowed hard, seemingly searching for the words to say. It was a dream that Atria had been entertaining for a little while. She didn't want to work with only one type of creature. Yet she didn't want to be a teacher like Hagrid. Opening a zoo seemed like a logical choice, but it seemed so silly.

"That seems like a good plan. How are you going to execute it?"

"Execute it?" She smirked. "It's barely a plan. I would have no idea where to begin."

Draco looked away from her. "We'll speak after the game. It looks like the game is about to begin."

"We better win."

"Amanda and Scorpius are both excellent players."

"Yes, but it's the seeker who seals the deal."

"I agree, but don't tell Scorpius I said so. He insists that a great chaser can win the game as well."

Atria laughed. "Of course."

"_LET THE GAME BEGIN!" _

* * *

"My nerves almost exploded!" Atria clutched her chest. She cornered Scorpius and Amanda after they came out of the locker room. "I mean, you couldn't have scored a few more goals before she caught the snitch?" She hissed at Scorpius.

"We won." He shrugged. "We'll be better prepared for the next game."

"Um… Captain?" A small voice came from behind Amanda and Scorpius. Ariella came to speak to them and Atria gave her a cold look. "I have to hand in my resignation."

Scorpius's mouth dropped. "Why?"

Ariella glanced at Atria. "Look, I want to play, but I also want Slytherin to win. I have more house spirit than I do pride."

"I have both." Atria muttered. "In copious amounts."

"I don't understand." Amanda said, ignoring Atria. "You have house pride so…"

"So I want us to win. Our best chance of winning is with her." Ariella motioned to Atria, who looked supremely smug. "And the looks I got from my roommates… and everyone else. If we had lost today, it would have been my fault."

"No, the chasers could have created a wider gap in the score so there was less pressure on you." Scorpius assured her.

"And I could have saved more shots." Amanda added.

Arielle smiled. "I have four more years to make the team. You three," she glanced at Attie, "only have one more game. You've played together for four years, you have to play your last match."

"I agree!" Atria said enthusiastically. "I told you she was smart."

Scorpius looked doubtfully at her. "When did you say that?"

"Oh. Maybe I didn't say it to you."

"So thank you." Ariella smiled softly. "Thanks for the opportunity."

Scorpius cleared his throat. "I'll be sure to give next year's captain a strong recommendation for you."

"I'd appreciate that." Ariella grinned and nodded her head shortly.

After Ariella disappeared, the three seventh years looked at each other. Atria grinned devilishly while Scorpius and Amanda shook their heads, looking as though they were on a diving hippogriff. .

"Looks like you're in need of a seeker." Happiness bubbled up in her stomach. It was petty of her to be so happy because a young girl had basically been bullied into giving up her position. Atria would have to do something about the people shaming Ariella—now that Ariella was on her side—but for now, she was going to just be with her friends.

"You planned this somehow." Scorpius said.

"Nope. Just happy coincidence. But we should put a stop to whoever was making her feel crappy about if Slytherin had lost."

"Oh, so now you like her?"

"She did something good for me." Atria shrugged. "Anyways, I'm going to go find Albus and share the good news with him."

Scorpius stood a little straighter. "And I'm going to find Rose."

"I'll go find something to entertain myself." Amanda said wryly.

"We can stay…"

"No. Go have your fun." Amanda said dismissively, waving a hand.

* * *

Amanda changed back into her regular clothes and then wandered around the pitch for a little while. Everyone seemed so happy, but after the conversation about flats, Amanda couldn't help but feel like she was dead weight in the group.

"Ms. Smith." Mr. Malfoy's cool voice floated from behind her.

She spun around. They were separated from the other spectators who were speaking with their children or leaving the pitch. "Mr. Malfoy," she pushed hair out of her eyes, "did you enjoy the match?" She asked awkwardly.

"Yes, you played well."

"Thank you." There was a pregnant pause. "Did you need something?"

"Scorpius mentioned that you might need work for after graduation." He said evenly.

Amanda flushed. "Everyone needs a job after graduation."

"You were very helpful that night at St. Mungo's."

"I can't afford two more years of healer's school."

"What about Quidditch teams?"

"I'm not good enough to be scouted. All the teams have keepers."

Mr. Malfoy's mouth tilted upward. "I meant what about a healer for a Quidditch team."

Amanda frowned. "What do you mean?"

"More and more professional Quidditch teams are hiring personal healer's for their players."

"But wouldn't I—"

"I trained one last summer who was a Quidditch player at a school in Germany. Teams seem to be looking for people with a background in Quidditch to train under a healer, but not actually go to school. There is a very narrow field for Quidditch injuries and all of the healers who work for teams were players before they were healers."

"And I wouldn't need any formal schooling for this?" Elation floated through Amanda. This was the perfect opportunity for her and it was a chance to have a part in Quidditch.

"I would like to speak with Madam Pomfrey about you working with her for the remainder of school and for the summer you would come train at St. Mungo's. Madam Pomfrey is extremely adept at dealing with Quidditch injuries so a recommendation from her could help immensely."

She almost jumped in the air and did a fist pump. But she was sure Mr. Malfoy would not appreciate the display of emotions. "But how do I know which Quidditch teams are hiring?"

"You and I shall both make inquiries."

"This is brilliant!"

Mr. Malloy nodded firmly. "Yes it is. I would send out letters before the Quidditch cup finals. I'll let you know if I get a response when I see you at the match."

"Alright." She nodded vigorously.

Mr. Malfoy gave her a quick head jerk as a salutation and then walked away. Amanda wondered why he was being so helpful. It was probably because of Scorpius. For all Mr. Malfoy's coolness and distance, he was dedicated to his family. Perhaps that's why he wanted Atria to come live with them.

She wondered if Mr. Malfoy had spoken with Attie today. They had been sitting together during the match, and before the match started Amanda had seen them exchange words. She imagined Attie had told him she was going to be living alone… or at least not with any adults. And where would Amanda stay if she got a job with a Quidditch team? She would have to travel with the team she assumed, so she couldn't stay with Rose and Atria all the time.

Amanda sighed and grinned at the same time.

Things were finally starting to look on the bright side.

**Hello! Such a quick update, be proud of me! Anyways, I wanted to tell you that I will be starting a new story when I finish this one called ****Bounty Hunters and Hit Wizards. ****It will be about Rose and Scorpius a few years after graduation. Hate/hate relationship! Let me know what you think! - Alex**


	44. The Decision

The week before the Quidditch finals, Scorpius ran the team ragged. He seemed happier than ever, which everyone knew had to do with Rose. Due to their increasing displays of public affection, rumors were starting to spread that the lovely Head Boy and Head Girl were dating and they were doing nothing to stifle them.

And it was only a matter of time before their parents found out.

That time came at the Quidditch finals between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Harry, Ginny, and Ron were all coming to the match and Atria was particularly frightened of Ron's reaction. She might've been worried about Draco if she didn't know how good he was at keeping calm. Hopefully their wives will be able to keep them both calm.

Scorpius didn't seem all that nervous considering he was about to face his last Quidditch match and his girlfriend's father.

Atria on the other hand was fidgeting. _What if we lose?_ They sat in the locker room, finished with their pregame talk, but waiting for the announcer to call them out. Amanda sat down next to Atria.

"You're nervous, aren't you?"

"Only a little." Atria said shakily. "I've never been nervous before."

"I know."

"It's never mattered as much as it does now."

That was true. It was the last game of her career and after the bitching when she came back, she had to live up to the title she had practically forced Scorpius to give her.

"Especially after you threw that hissy fit." Amanda muttered.

"I was in the moment!"

"Whatever."

Atria rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep a smile off her face. This banter that she and Amanda had going felt like normal.

"The announcer just called us out." Scorpius glared at the two girls. "Come on, we have a match to win." Amanda rolled her eyes, looking nonchalant while Attie still looked nervous. It was a complete reversal of roles.

They grabbed they broomsticks and prepared to fly out.

* * *

Atria puked up her guts all over the pitch, but refused to let go of the snitch. Someone took down that bludger that had hit her in the stomach and her team was gathering around her, cheering. She felt a hand on her back and someone moved her ponytail out of the line of fire.

She knew it was Albus even without looking.

In between dry heaves she told Al, "Leave." She threw up whatever liquid was left in her body because there was nothing solid left.

"I've seen you naked."

"Are you comparing throw up to my naked body?" She coughed as others circled around her. Albus leaned closer.

He whispered, "I mean that I love you and you being ill isn't going to change that. Don't be so vain." Atria didn't get a chance to respond because Mr. Malfoy was gripped her chin and tilted her head up. She flinched when he shined his wind in her eyes and searched her corneas.

"Ouch!"

"You're not concussed."

Atria coughed and pain shot through her ribs. "But my spleen might be busted."

Scorpius appeared next to her. "Don't be dramatic."

"She's not." Draco poked around her stomach. "I think her broken ribs punctured a couple organs, but that's easy to heal." There went her excuse for being whiny. "I can do it here or we can take her up to the hospital wing."

"I vote hospital wing." Atria raised her hand and then winced. "You know, where the painkillers are." Rose and Hermione appeared in her peripheral vision.

"Merlin, are you okay?"

"No."

Draco stood up. "Let's move her to the hospital wing and get her away from the gawking crowds." Shit. Atria had completely forgotten that they were still in the middle of the Quidditch pitch with all the houses watching.

They levitated her from the pitch and Albus held her hand all the way up to castle.

Once they were safely in the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey and Draco began fussing over Atria and for once, she just let them.

"We're so glad you're alright." Harry sighed and pinched his nose. "You know, dodging is a very good tactic when dealing with bludgers." He said sarcastically and Attie laughed and then inhaled sharply.

"Losing isn't a good tactic either." Atria said.

"Damn straight." Scorpius boomed. "What's a few broken ribs if we win the match?"

Atria gave him a dry look. "Thanks for your concern."

Hermione interjected, "We're all concerned." She looked at her sullen husband. "Aren't we, Ronald?" Ron looked up quickly, caught off guard. He glared at Hermione and then glanced at Atria.

"I would be a little more upset if Slytherin hadn't won." He grumbled.

Scorpius was trying not to look smug.

"Everyone out!" Madam Pomfrey screeched, pushing past half of the Slytherin team and all of Atria's friends and family. Draco leveled her a hard look. "Mr. Malfoy, you may stay as a consulting healer."

Amanda raised her hand. "Technically, I'm almost a healer—"

"Ms. Smith." Pomfrey said sharply.

"It's alright." Atria told Amanda and Rose. Rose looked especially worried. Atria found it amazing that even after all the years of seeing Quidditch injuries, Rose still managed to be traumatized.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Just do what the esteemed healers tell you to and try not to break anything else." She physically forced Albus from the room with Hermione pulling Rose along after. Scorpius shot her an amused smile and predictably followed Rose out. Atria wondered if any of the adults were picking up on the serious relationship vide those two were tossing around.

Given Ron's somewhat calm status, Atria would guess not.

"Look up." Pomphrey shined her wand in Atria's eyes and she didn't bother to tell the Madam that Draco had already done this on the field. Draco didn't say anything and he didn't for the rest of the exam. Once Madam Pomfrey finished, she flitted around the room gathering ingredients. She tossed it in a bottle, put a stopper in it and shook it twice. "Drink this."

Atria did without question and nearly spit it out. Pomfrey gave her an annoyed look and Draco smirked. "How long until I can get out of this bed?"

"Two hours."

Atria's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

"Do you want to stay overnight?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

Atria shook her head quickly. "No!"

"Then do as your told. I have other players to attend to and you're making a ruckus." And then she disappeared behind the curtain.

Draco leaned his chin against his fist. "Have you thought anymore about what I asked?"

Atria nodded softly. "I have. And a part of me wants to… but we—all of us—have agreed that we're going to find someplace together. We're all moving out, so this isn't me choosing the Potters over you because there wasn't really a choice in the first place."

"Ms. Smith included?"

Atria frowned. "Of course."

"Well, I have some news for her that might impact that. But I'll let her tell you about that later."

"What news?" Atria asked loudly.

Draco took a step back. "I'll let her tell you."

"You can't just—"

"I'll see you later. Rest and don't cause trouble."

* * *

Mr. Malfoy caught Amanda and Scorpius while they were on the way back to the Slytherin dungeons.

"Father?" Scorpius stopped in surprise.

Amanda gave Mr. Malfoy a polite smile. "Scorpius, I'll meet you—"

"I'm actually here for you, Ms. Smith." Mr. Malfoy interrupted as Amanda turned to leave. A crease formed between Scorpius's eyebrows. "Scorpius, I'll speak with you later." He added in a tone that left little to be said or argued.

Scorpius took a few steps backward and then turned and left.

Amanda looked nervously at Mr. Malfoy, having some idea of what he wanted to speak with her about. She remembered what he had promised her at the last Quidditch match and realized that what he said could make or break her future.

Mr. Malfoy didn't keep her waiting or mince words. "The Magpies and Harpies have expressed interest in your talents."

Amanda's heart lurched and she let out a relieved sigh. "Oh thank Merlin."

Mr. Malfoy smirked softly. "You didn't have any other options?"

"No! And two teams want me?"

"Yes. Any idea which you'll choose?" He asked in a way that didn't sound like a question at all. How could she possibly choose? Did it matter which she chose? The pay would matter, she supposed. Scotland vs. Wales. She was lucky to even have a job.

Mr. Malfoy waited for a reply with a knowing look on his face.

"I need to know more." Amanda said breathlessly.

He looked surprised. "I'm sure the managers from each team would be happy to send you a detailed letter of what your duties will be."

"And I would need training."

"For the remainder of the school year, you will train with Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing. She will focus on Quidditch injuries in your private lessons, but for five hours a week, you will help her with whatever injuries or illnesses students manage to conjure up. Over the summer you will work under in the Emergency Wing of St. Mungo's and start travelling with the team in the fall." Mr. Malfoy said and gave a small, elegant shrug. "The team might ask you to do more training after they determine your skill level, but I imagine that nearly six months of training will be more than enough to deal with broken bones and head injuries."

Amanda grinned uncontrollably and then hesitated. "I'll be travelling with the team." She said slowly, taking in what that meant for the plans her friends had concocted.

"They shall provide housing as they do for the rest of the team. You'll stay in hotels and whatnot when they play in games and live in the team housing—it might vary depending on which team you choose."

"Merlin," she repeated.

Mr. Malfoy folded his arms.

"Which should I choose?" She asked anxiously.

He raised an eyebrow. "I can't tell you. Think about it. I'll give you the contact information for the team managers." Amanda didn't know what to say and she didn't want to say 'Merlin' again. "So… the Harpies or the Magpies…"

"Obviously the Harpies have a better reputation—" Amanda stopped herself as she recalled the winning reason the Harpies had.

And she remembered how well James did. She gasped and pressed her hands to the sides of her head. "I'm an idiot!" How could she not remember that James played for the Harpies? "I have to go with the Magpies." She said immediately and when she looked up, Mr. Malfoy seemed surprise. Which meant he knew how she felt… no, she couldn't think of that.

"Why?"

Her mouth opened, ready to spout something untrue, but something stopped her.

Mr. Malfoy pressed his lips together and nodded slowly. "Don't make any hasty decisions. Decide what's best for you." He told her, his beautiful gray eyes stormy and hard. "Go on now, get some sleep."

"Atria—"

"—will be fine in a few hours."

"I won't be able to live with them."

Mr. Malfoy stayed silent for a moment. "Atria would support you if you asked. If you didn't want to leave them, she would help you until you found work. But don't stay only because you're afraid to leave."

"How could Atria support me? She doesn't have a job other than her idea of building a zoo. I'm not sure how that's going to happen either."

Mr. Malfoy opened his mouth and then closed it. When he finally spoke, he spoke carefully, "She's one of the wealthiest people alive."

"What? No—"

"You saw her house." Mr. Malfoy said factually. "It's larger than Malfoy Manor."

"Had you been there before?"

He shook his head. "No."

"I can't ask her to support me." Amanda sighed, as tempting as it sounded.

"Speak with your friends, I'm sure they can help you decide."

"I'm going with the Magpi—"

Mr. Malfoy gave her a sharp look. "Don't be hasty and don't make an emotional decision." Amanda often forgot how intimidating Draco Malfoy could be. He was always cool and straightforward, but sometimes he could be very frightening. Scorpius wasn't really like him… anymore. He used be a lot more isolated, but Rose softened him from the first moment they met.

"Fine." Amanda folded her arms stubbornly.

They said their goodbyes and she found her way to her dormitory. Amanda sat on her bed, grateful that Atria wasn't here and neither was anyone else. Part of her was tempted to owl James and see what he said. The Harpies were a better team and it would probably be a better offer because the Harpies had more sponsorships and money.

The only reason she wouldn't take their offer… James.

She wasn't sure when she had fallen in love with him, but it happened.


	45. Unexpected Encounters

"Albus," Atria tried to pull away, but he gripped her closer. She smiled as he pressed her against the stone. "We're in the middle of a corridor," her words ended on a gasp as he sucked on her throat.

"I don't care," he chuckled.

"OHMYMERLIN!"

Albus and Atria jumped apart, expecting to find a teacher.

Instead it was a girl in Ravenclaw robes… and she was still shouting. "You are super adorable! I just love you guys together!"

"Um…" Atria wasn't sure what to say. "Who are you?"

The girl scoffed, "I'm Elle, but who cares about me! I can't believe I'm meeting the power couple of Hogwarts."

"Power couple?"

Elle scoffed again. "Duh, who else who it be?"

"Rose and Scorpius."

"Nah, they're the new thing but…"

Albus laughed, "Well, it's nice to meet you."

"I'll let you two alone then. I didn't mean to ruin the moment!" And then in a flurry Elle was off and Atria and Albus were left standing with their mouths open wondering what the hell just happened.

"That was…"

"Weird." Atria finished for Albus.

"And we were supposed to meet everyone for lunch." Albus said regretfully, brushing hair out of his eyes. She was sure her pink hair was a tangled mess that made it painfully obvious that she had just been snogging.

"I suppose food is necessary."

He took her hand. "We can stroll leisurely through the castle until we reach the Great Hall."

"Brilliant."

When they reached the Great Hall, Rose immediately launched herself at them. "Where have you lot been? We were supposed to meet fifteen minutes ago. Now we only have a half an hour before class."

Atria plopped down across from Scorpius, who pulled Rose down next to him. Albus sat in between Atria and Amanda. "We got lost."

"Really?" Amanda said doubtfully.

"Yep."

After a few moments of comfortable silence Amanda said, "There's something I want to talk with you lot about." She paused and then continued, "I got a job offer. Two actually."

Rose dropped her fork. "You did?! Oh, that's wonderful! Everything is starting to come together. You know, we should really start looking at flats—"

"Rose." Amanda cut her off. "The job requires travel. I wouldn't be able to live with you."

Scorpius's eyebrows shot up. "Where would you live?"

Amanda looked at her hands. "Well, I would travel with the team."

"Team?"

"The Magpies."

Atria slapped the table, scarring some other students. "I can't believe we're just hearing about this. Hold on, do they need a keeper?"

"No, I wouldn't be playing, I'd be a on-site healer. Apparently teams are adding those nowadays." Amanda said dully.

"This is great! So you'll live with the team and be front row to all the action!" Atria said excitedly.

Albus frowned. "Why don't you look excited?"

Amanda glanced up and plastered a smile on her face. "I'm very excited! But I am sad about our plans falling through."

Rose scoffed. "Oh please, we'll come visit all the time."

Scorpius looked at Amanda questioningly. "You said two job offers?"

"Um… yes, but I've decided the Magpies are the better option."

"Really, as opposed to…"

Amanda bit her lip. "The Harpies." Albus's mouth dropped. "But I think the Magpies are the best fit for me and—"

"Don't tell me you and James are still fighting." Albus shook his head.

Amanda looked affronted. "We're not fighting! Who said we were fighting? We never fought."

"So that tiff before Christmas was…"

"A difference of opinions." Amanda stated and then under her breath murmured, "And he was being a prick."

"But you're not upset with him?"

"No."

"And you don't want to go with the Harpies because…?" Atria gave Amanda a pointed look.

"I think the Magpies will be better."

Scorpius snorted. "In what world?"

"In terms of my career!"

"Did you ask James about the Harpies? You know, how their team dynamic is, how the administration is…"

Amanda groaned, "You guys are overthinking this."

"Your career?" Rose gasped. "There's no such thing as overthinking when it comes to the future." Amanda sighed.

"I'm supposed to overthink it, not you." She said indignantly.

Atria leaned on the table. "You should still talk to James before you make a decision."

"I don't want any of you interfering. If I want to talk to him, I will and I don't need any of you trying to talk for me."

"That's fine." Albus said emotionlessly. "He was thinking about coming to the Hogsmeade weekend."

"Next week?" Amanda's voice faltered.

"Yes."

"That's great."

Atria raised her eyebrow and played with her green beans. "Don't worry, we're not going to say anything."

"Thanks."

"But you should." She tacked on quickly.

Amanda slumped over, knowing this was going to be a point of strife for the next week.

* * *

Amanda walked nervously around Hogsmeade, waiting for James to pop up. Ever since Sunday night she had been dreading this Saturday excursion. All her friends were on their dates and she was left wandering around.

One boy had asked her to accompany him. She had declined for some unknown reason that she couldn't even make sense of in her own mind. The Three Broomsticks was packed so she moved on to Hog's Head.

Aberforth handed her a butterbeer.

"I'll take a shot of firewhiskey as well."

"Everything alright?" Aberforth motioned for his barkeep to get her the shot.

Amanda sighed and took the little glass. "Just trying to sort out the rest of my life." She downed the shot and felt the buzz in her head and the burn in her throat.

"There's nothing a butterbeer can't fix."

"And a shot of firewhiskey." Aberforth laughed throatily.

"Absolutely." Amanda put down the shot glass and moved on to the mug of frothy butterbeer. She sipped at it slowly and licked the foam from her upper lip. The one other person who was in the pub left and few others came in.

"Amanda."

She coughed on her gulp and nearly tipped over the rest of the glass.

"Careful!" A hand fell over hers, keeping the mug steady and another hand came to her back, patting softly. She looked over at James and coughed a few more times.

When she could breath, she asked, "How did you find me?"

"Did you want me not to find you?" He asked playfully. "Were you hiding?"

"No." She said quickly and played with the handle of her mug. She desperately wanted another shot of firewhiskey. "I just didn't expect you to come looking."

"Who said I was looking for you?"

Amanda opened her mouth and then closed it.

"I might've just wanted to get away from all the school kids."

"Well…"

James waited and then took pity on her. "I was looking for you. We've not spoken since Christmas and so much has changed since then."

"Yes… Attie."

"Yes and I wish I could have been here for that."

"She said you two got together."

"She told me about everything. Including her and Albus."

"I bet that was a sad day for you. I mean, how long have chased after her."

James rolled his eyes and slid onto a barstool. "Please, I haven't chased after her for years and you know that." He leaned onto the counter and looked sideways at her. "So what are you doing alone all the way out here."

"Atria and Albus are together and Rose and Scorpius are on a date—"

"What?" James shouted and jumped up, nearly knocking over the barstool.

Amanda bit her lip, trying to hide a smile. "Did nobody tell you?"

"No! I can't believe Albus didn't even mention that! My baby cousin dating that Slytherin slime—" He cut himself short and looked nervously at Amanda. "I mean—"

"I know what you mean."

"But he's a Malfoy."

Amanda grinned and raised the glass to her lips. "I don't think that matters in light of Atria's revelation." James deflated and sat back down. As they sat in a companionable silence, Amanda thought about how much she wanted to just go with the Harpies. He was a good person and she liked talking to him.

"So what's going on with you?" James asked after Aberforth delivered a butterbeer to him.

Amanda hesitated. "I actually have two job offers."

"That's great!" She loved how her truly sounded pleased for her. "Which are you going with?"

"I think I know, but I'm second guessing." Amanda pressed her lips together and he waited for her to go on. "I think… I made the choice for the wrong reasons."

"So change your decision." James said simply and she laughed.

"I want to… but I have solid reasons for deciding against the one option."

"Which is better for you?"

"Professionally or personally?"

James blinked. "Um…"

"Because that's what it is. It's what's best for me professionally or personally. On one option I should just walk away from this… thing… that I've been wrapped in and it's not good for me on an emotional level. But that option might be the best professionally."

"What's damaging you emotionally?"

"But that's the thing! I'm not sure if it damaging me. Maybe I'm overthinking it and…"

"Do you want to give me some context? Because that might help."

"No." Amanda shook her head and tried to tell her face to stop burning.

"What were your two job offers?"

"I…"

James sighed. "I wish you trusted me."

"I do!"

"Then tell me!"

Amanda took a deep breath. "Back at Christmas party, when everyone was rushing to St. Mungo's I was helping Mr. Malfoy with some patients."

"I know." James grinned. "You were brilliant."

Amanda flushed. "Well, when Mr. Malfoy heard I needed a job he put out some feelers to some of his friends."

"You're going to be a healer?"

"No, um… I've gotten job offers from two quidditch teams. They want an on-site healer."

James beamed at her. "That's brilliant! So what's the problem? Which teams?"

Amanda looked at her hands. "The Magpies and… the Harpies." James' grin dropped.

"The Harpies offered you a job. My team?"

Amanda nodded hesitantly and she could see him try to put together everything she had said and put it into focus with this revelation.

"Come with the Harpies!"

"I'm just not sure if I could handle that."

"Why?" He demanded and then looked guilty. "Because of me? I know, we had that fight—"

"It's not just that."

"What else?"

Amanda blinked. "James…"

"I want you to come with the Harpies."

"A part of me wants to go with them as well, but I don't want to make that decision based on a whim."

"You are making the decision based on a whim!"

"What?"

"You don't have any real reasons for wanting to go with the Magpies. The Magpies suck! And I bet they won't pay you as well. As far as your career goes, a job with the Harpies would be far more prestigious." Amanda rubbed her temple. "When you said 'emotional'..."

"James…" she shook her head.

"You were talking about me?"

Amanda didn't reply because she didn't want to give anything away, but her lack of response said enough.

"Please, come with the Harpies." She felt him grab her hand and she looked at him. His eyes were green and deep and leaning closer.

She whispered, "I don't want something to go wrong." He hand slid up her arm to rest on her shoulder and her eyes fluttered shut.

"Nothing will go wrong," he whispered back and she could feel him leaning closer.

"Do you two need a room at the inn?" Aberforth's voice broke whatever haze they were under. Amanda quickly pulled and James's hand dropped.

"No, of course not!" Amanda jumped up and backed away.

"Amanda…"

She glared at him. "Don't. I'm going with the Magpies. That's what best for me."

It wasn't until after she ran out that she realized she never paid for her drinks, but the idea of going back and facing James was unthinkable. So she marched back up to the castle, not bothering to tell anyone where she was going.

While she was wandering the halls aimlessly, she ran into Hector the First Year.

"Amanda," his eyes widened. "Are you alright?" He looked up at her with wide eyes.

"Yes." She said immediately and then took a deep breath. "I just need to sort myself out."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Amanda bit her lip and then walked over to a bench and plopped down. Hector followed silently. "So I have two job offers to be a healer for the Magpies or the Harpies. I'd travel with the team and get front row seats to all the matches and… It would be amazing."

"So what's the problem?"

"James."

"James Potter?"

"Yes."

Hector squinted. "He plays for the Harpies."

"Yes, he does. And I… like him. He' one of the best people I know and I love talking with him and being around him."

"So go with the Harpies."

"No!"

Hector jumped skittishly. "Why not?"

"Because if something goes wrong or we fight or… a million things could happen and I don't want to base my future on him."

"You are basing your future on him."

"No—"

"Yes. The Harpies are the better team and everyone knows it. The only logical reason you would go with the Magpies is to avoid Potter, therefore, you are completely basing this decision on that fact that you want to avoid him. If you really want to discount him as a factor, you'd go with the Harpies."

Amanda pinched her nose. "Why are you so wise?"

"Because I'm a twelve year old who is innocent to the ways of the big confusing world."

"Don't be smart."

"Better than being dumb." Hector shot back happily.

Amanda gave him a dry look and leaned back against the wall.

"So why aren't you in Hogsmeade."

Amanda pursed her lips, "Well…. I just ran into James and told him I was going with the Magpies and then stormed out."

"Out of where."

"Hog's Head."

Hector's eyes lit up. "I can't wait to go to Hog's Head when I'm a third year."

"It is exciting." Amanda chuckled.

"So are you going with the Harpies?"

She shrugged. "I still have some numbers to crunch, pros and cons charts to make…"

"Of course. Well, you could start with Wales or Scotland?"

Amanda knew she would prefer Wales for she had lived in Scotland her whole life and wanted to travel. "I suppose Wales."

"And which team do you prefer?"

"The Harpies." Amanda said grudgingly.

"And who offered you more pay?"

Amanda clenched her teeth. "The Harpies."

"Interesting."

"Shut up."

"Sounds like if you want to make the best decision about your future you should go with the Harpies."


	46. Meet Me in Hog's Head

It was nearly May and with N.E.W.T.s approaching, everyone was turning into shut-ins. Especially Rose. Amanda was sure she hadn't seen Rose in five days and she had seen Albus in two days. Atria was stressing out about DADA and was convinced she was going to fail and everyone would blame her 'background.'

"Ms. Smith, do pay attention!" Madam Pomfrey said as she rushed to help a student throwing up toads. Amanda almost knocked over a bottle of Skelegrow as she was arranging supplies. In the two months since she had started working here, Amanda had learned so much. In fact, she never would have imagined there would be so much to learn.

"Sorry." Amanda muttered as she continued to clean all the tables and beds.

After Madam Pomfrey gave the poor boy something to stop the nausea, she came over to Amanda. "Is something on your mind, dear?"

Amanda ran her hands over the bedsheets to flatten them. "I hope I've made the right decision about going with the Harpies."

"I'm sure everything will work itself out. You're doing excellent work here and when you go to St. Mungo's for the summer, I'm sure you'll be ready to start the season with the Harpies. And Mr. Potter is on the Harpies, so you'll have a support system."

"I know."

"Have you told your friends about your decision?"

Amanda bit her lip. "Not yet." Because she hadn't told James either. And Albus would tell James and Atria would tell James. Rose would tell James. Fred would find out and he would tell James. There was simply no way to avoid James once this became public knowledge.

Amanda's spine straightened. "Madam Pomfrey, do you think I could leave early today and stay late tomorrow?"

Madam Pomfrey looked slightly confused by the sudden change in Amanda's demeanor. "Yes, I think you're about done here anyhow."

"Thank you." Amanda gathered her things quickly and raced to the Owlery. She needed to owl James immediately. It was all she could think of to end this drama right then and there. She couldn't run anymore and she didn't know why this struck her in that moment.

As she raced up the stairs, not paying attention to the uneasy footing, she was scrambling to pull parchment and a quill out of her bag. Once she was in the Owlery, she scribbled a hasty message against the wall.

_Dear James, _

_I know it's been awhile since we've spoken. Do you think you could meet me in Hogsmeade sometime? I have to talk to you._

_Amanda_

She sent it off with a school owl and a heavy weight lifted off of her.

And then for the next two days she waited.

* * *

While Amanda was sitting in the library, procrastinating her Muggle Studies homework. She looked at Rose, who was diligently taking notes and annotating her potions book, and knew her friend would provide no distractions. Of course Albus and Attie were off being lovebirds somewhere. Amanda closed her Jane Austen book.

"I'm going to the Owlery." She announced and Rose looked up quickly and mumbled something.

"Sure."

Amanda didn't mince words. She got up and left.

Without the adrenaline she had two days ago, the steps to the Owlery were a struggle. "I miss Quidditch." She mumbled, thinking about how long it had been since she had had a proper workout. When she arrived at the top the Owlery, the owl she had sent was sitting on its perch with a letter in its mouth. Amanda surged forward and took the note.

She ripped it open.

_Meet me in Hogsmeade on Friday at 7. _

_James_

Amanda was relieved, but at the same time nervous. Tomorrow was Friday. He didn't say where to meet, but she assumed he meant Hog's Head. She had been going over in heard what she wanted to say to him, but she knew that it wouldn't go the way she planned in her head. Those sorts of things never went the way a person thinks they will.

When she went to bed, Atria was watching her suspiciously. "Why are you so jittery?"

Amanda pressed her cheek into the pillow. "I have something to do tomorrow and I'm not sure how it's going to play out."

"What is it?"

"A meeting with someone I might be working with."

"You've made a decision, right?" Atria asked with a knowing glint in her eyes. Amanda hated how Atria always seemed to know everyone's secrets, but until recently no one knew any of hers.

"Maybe."

Atria looked like she was suppressing a smile. "Everything is working out."

"You didn't think it would."

"No." Atria didn't hesitate. "I never thought that this is how my life would turnout."

"How's the zoo coming?"

Atria shrugged as some girls came out of the bathroom. "It's coming alright. The biggest problem is permits for the animals."

"Are you going to be chatting much longer?" Celaena asked.

Amanda rolled her eyes and fell onto her back. "No, I guess not." The lights went out a moment later. And Amanda tried to calm her heart down enough so she could fall asleep.

* * *

Hog's Head was empty as usual. James wasn't here yet, but Amanda was early. She sat at a table in the shadows of a corner, sipping on a butterbeer.

"Amanda."

She coughed as the liquid went down the wrong pipe. She stood up quickly, clearing her throat and stared at James. He looked tired and beautiful. His hair had grown out in the weeks since they had last spoken.

"Thanks for coming." She said and then they stared at each other for a while. "I'm sorry about the last time we spoke." James continued to stare at her with guarded eyes. Amanda continued with a clogged throat, "I was being foolish and trying to avoid making mistakes based on fleeting emotions, but I almost made the biggest mistake of my life."

Confusion flashed across his face and she was eased by the emotion that finally came onto his features. And then he steeled himself again.

Amanda took a deep breath. "I'm going with the Harpies."

James's jaw dropped and his mouth flopped open and closed. "What?"

"I told you I was going with the Magpies, but that would have been stupid with me. I was trying not to let emotions get in the way of my decision, but they almost made me choose a worse team just because…"

"You'll be living with the team." James said with a far off look in his eyes.

"Yes, that's why I wanted to speak with you. I know that we've been weird for the past few months and now that we have to work together—"

"What emotions?" James interrupted.

"Excuse me?"

James looked invigorated. "You said that you were trying not to make this decision based on emotions. I want to know what you meant."

Amanda kept her face straight. "I want to make the best choice for me—"

"Yes, but what emotions would have stopped you from doing that?" He inched closer and his fingers brushed the edge of her shirt. She shivered and he leaned closer, so close his nose brushed her cheek. "Just tell me," his voice wavered. "Say—"

She grabbed his collar and crashed their mouths together. He moaned and his arms came around her immediately. The edge of the table dug into the back of her legs as he pressed her against it roughly. For a fraction of a second their mouths parted and she dragged in a ragged breath. He kissed her again and she gasped, pulling him closer. Their hands were flying over each other's bodies.

When his hands went to the back of her legs, she realized he was going to place her on top of the table. She turned her head and dragged in air. He simply continued to his her cheek and jaw and then the column of her throat. "James," she sighed pleasantly.

He mumbled something against her neck and then she felt his tongue sweep out.

"James, we're in a pub." She said breathily.

His lips pulled away slowly and he released a long breath against her skin. She let out a breathy laugh. "Damn." His head was still buried in her neck, even though his lips weren't pressed against her skin and it was doing crazy things to her heart.

"Let's sit down and eat something." She suggested, but didn't move away from him. "And talk." He groaned and then pulled back.

"About what? You're coming with the Harpies and we're going to be together."

Amanda laughed. "Just like that? One kiss and it's all been decided?"

"Let's skip the part where we pretend like we haven't been dancing around this for months." James said impatiently. "We fancy each other."

"Yes, but we also need to work together. It's not like I have an office job either, I will come in direct contact with the team. It would a conflict of interest."

"How do we solve that?"

Amanda bit her lip and looked away. "We can't date." James's eyebrows shot down and he started to protest. "What if we broke up?"

He rolled his eyes. "You're afraid of breaking up when we've only been together for two minutes?"

"I'm afraid that if something happened between us and it fell apart, I wouldn't be able to work with you! I'm already too invested in whatever this is and we're not even dating." She snapped. "If we started dating and something happened, it would wreck me."

"We wouldn't have to break up." James argued.

"There is no guarantee that we wouldn't break up."

"We could get married."

Blink, blink. Amanda stared at James as he held his breath and seemed to contemplate what he had just said. After several moments of looking thoughtful, his features shifted toward determination. His jaw set and he waited for her to say something.

"Did—did you just propose to me?"

James looked at the ceiling and squinted. "Yes. It's logical. I love you. I want to be with you and I don't want to ever break up. If you're so worried about it, I have no problem getting married."

"You haven't thought this through."

"All I've thought about for the past year is how to be with you. So while I wasn't specifically thinking about marriage, I have been thinking about the future and how I want you in mine. The universe wants it to. You're getting a job with the Harpies. We can be together, they have special housing for families."

Amanda rubbed her temples. "We've never been on a date!"

"Then let's do what you suggested: sit down and eat dinner."

Amanda wanted to say something but couldn't think of a single thing to say or argue. So they sat down and Amanda took a log gulp of her butterbeer. "James," she said slowly, "I think you should take some time to think things through."

"You want to say yes." James told her. "You're creating reasons for me not to do this, but you haven't argued your side. Why shouldn't you do this?"

"You could break my heart."

"Implying that you're in love with me too." James grinned. "You love me. Marry me."

"You haven't given me a ring."

James smiled boyishly. "I'll go buy you one now."

"You don't know my ring size or what type of ring I might want—"

"Classic, but not a circle. I'm thinking square with two little diamonds on both sides." James said thoughtfully. Amanda rubbed her temples and tried to banish the thoughts of how beautiful that would look on her finger. "And do you even know your ring size?" Amanda hesitated.

"James…"

"Tell me you don't love me. I won't accept any other reason for why we shouldn't get engaged. We don't have to marry immediately, but I see no reason why we shouldn't get engaged."

"The fact that we hardly know each other."

"We've known each other for years and been friends for two years… maybe more."

Amanda gave him a level look. "And for most of those years you were obsessed with Atria."

"That ended last year."

"Good thing, considering she preferred your brother."

"Now you're just being mean."

Amanda shrugged. "Just because I'm not as snappy as Attie, doesn't mean I don't have my moments."

"I love you." He said as if it was just a continuation of the banter. Amanda stared at him, trying to see his heart through his eyes.

"Three weeks."

"Huh?"

"I graduate in three weeks and if you're still convinced… maybe we could try dating. The summer will give us time to think before we have to work together."

James looked away, contemplating the options laid before him. Finally, he looked back at her. "Three weeks." He repeated. "In three weeks, I'm going to be back and we're going to get engaged…"

"We're going to date." Amanda argued.

"Yes, while we're engaged."

"I don't want to get married at 17."

James exhaled. "So we'll marry in a few years. The point is that you're worried about security and your job and our relationship will get in the way of your career. I plan on us being together forever and if we get engaged now and marry in five years, what's the difference between getting engaged in four years?"

"Everyone will think I'm pregnant." Amanda mumbled and then shook her head. "But since when have I cared about what anyone else thinks?" She grinned at James and his eyes lit up.

"You're saying yes?" He choked out.

Amanda laughed. "I'm saying come back at graduation. Give us both a few weeks to think about this. Go look at how expensive engagement rings are and see if you really want this."

"All I need to know is that you want this."

She blinked and was surprised by her answer. "I want to be with you." There was no doubt or hesitation.

"Then I'll see you in three weeks. Unless I can't wait."

"James."

"Kidding!" He held up his hands innocently. "But can we go on dates in the meantimes? I don't like the idea of going three weeks without seeing you."

"Sure, why not?" She said calmly, but suppressing a giddy grin was difficult.

"I could help you study for N.E.W.T.s," James suggested.

Amanda gave him a doubtful look. "Didn't you only get two N.E.W.T.s?"

James looked indignant. "I knew I was going to play Quidditch. Besides, DADA and Charms are the most important subjects, anyway."

"And potions."

"That's what I have you for!"

"James," she admonished.

He leaned across the table and kissed her. His mouth moved against hers and he tilted his head. Her teeth scraped his lower lip and he moaned. "I love you."

"Me too."

"Meet me on Wednesday." He said against her lips.

"Okay." She whispered back and then pulled away. Their noses still touched. "I should go before someone misses me." James's thumb brushed her cheek.

"Alright." He pressed one last kiss to her jaw. They sat back and Amanda gathered her things. James paid the check and they left Hog's Head, hand in hand. They kissed again before Amanda started walking back to the castle. She let out a content sigh and couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day.


	47. Graduation

Atria and Rose were extremely nervous as they waited to cross the Great Hall for graduation. They were peeking from behind the doors, watching their families chat.

"This is going to be a disaster," Rose muttered as she flipped through the pages of her speech. "I really should've made Scorpius do the talking. He's much more charming and…" she started hyperventilating.

"You? What about me? Everyone hates me and I'm about to walk across the Great Hall. A lot of parents wanted me thrown out of school, you know."

"My father doesn't know about Scorpius and me. He's going to have a heart attack!" Rose's voice cracked.

Amanda lounged on a bench with Albus and Scorpius who were watching with mild amusement. The rest of the seventh years were in clumps, waiting to be ushered through the Great Hall. "You two worry too much," Amanda said calmly.

Atria glared at her, "I'm worrying just the right amount. Why aren't you more worried?"

Rose folded her arms and looked accusingly at Amanda, "You've been to calm for the past few weeks. With N.E.W.T.s and graduation… why aren't you bugging out?" Amanda turned pink and looked down.

"I know everything's going to be alright. You four have your plans and I have mine."

"Oh, you do have a plan?" Albus raised his eyebrows. "Because you've refused to tell us, so we weren't sure. Last we heard, you were going with the Magpies."

Amanda sighed, "I actually decided to go with the Harpies."

Scorpius jerked up. "What? Why are we just hearing about this?"

"It was an in-the-moment decision."

"How long ago was this decision made?" Rose asked.

"Um… like four weeks ago."

"What?" Atria screeched. "How could you not tell us? Have you spoken with James?"

"Look, I didn't want to make a big deal of it, kind of like you are now. And yes, I've spoken with James and we've come to an agreement."

Atria looked suspiciously at Amanda, who seemed to be holding back a giddy smile. "What agreement would that be?" Amanda's lips pursed and the others were watching her every movement with scrutiny.

Her lips moved, but no sound came out as she tried to think of something to say.

Albus's eyebrows shot up in alarm, "That is not promising."

Amanda folded her arms defensively and leaned back against the wall. Atria noted the impatient look on her face and how the kept searching for McGonagall to escort them through the Great Hall. "James and I have worked everything out, actually."

"So can you explain what the initial problem was?" Scorpius challenged.

Amanda faltered, "You know, I'm not even sure what the problem was. We were just being stupid."

"Stupid about…" Rose led.

"Everything." Amanda said evasively and Atria was ready to hit her over the head.

"We need details!" Atria exclaimed.

"Ms….!" McGonagall started to berate Atria, but then stumbled over her name like so everyone had been. None of the teachers knew what to call her. Atria's cheeks burned, like they did every time this happened. Their first instinct was to say 'Ms. Williams' and then the professors would catch themselves, but they could never say 'Lestrange.' McGonagall pressed on, "Please don't shout. Now, Ms. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy, if you could help me line everyone up and then we will proceed. You'll be walking through those doors in ten minutes, whether you're ready or not."

Rose looked thrilled and excited. She began ushering students to their places based on their last names alphabetically. Scorpius stood up after McGonagall disappeared. He gave Atria a wary look. "So which last name are you going with?"

Atria curled into herself, feeling that numbness behind her eyes. "Lestrange."

Scorpius nodded mutely and then joined Rose.

Albus's hand curled around Atria and she leaned into his shoulder, pressing her nose into his robes. "You alright?" He looked sideways down on her.

"Yes…" she said absently and then focused her attention. "Yes, I need this."

"We're all with you."

Atria smiled and closed her eyes. "I'm excited to be in the real world. Sometimes Hogwarts feels like a fishbowl."

"I'm still here," Amanda's voice startled Atria. She jerked away from Albus and rolled her eyes at Amanda's reproachful look. "Honestly, I'm glad I won't be around much." Atria gave her a flamboyant pout.

"Oh, don't be like that! I still can't believe you're going to Wales… with James." Atria prodded, hoping Amanda might let a detail or two slip about her arrangement with James.

Instead, Amanda eyed Atria. "Don't you think bright green might be a bit much for a formal occasion?" She asked, referring to Atria's hair. Albus ran his hands through it affectionately, even though Atria knew this wasn't his favourite color of her hair. He had mentioned a while ago that he liked the purple or red.

"I'm showing house solidarity." Atria said proudly. "I could hardly wear blue, it would clash with the Ravenclaws. And purple is a bit too close to blue." Albus wrapped his arms around her from behind and Atria sunk back into his warmth, placing her hands on his.

Amanda stood up, stretching her arms above her head. "I think I'll get in line."

The ceremony was lovely. Quick, with soft music escorting the students as they strode through the Great Hall. Atria was grateful that they called the stood onto the platform one after the other, not really a moment to pause and think after McGonagall called "Atria Lestrange." No one else had a moment to think either before she called the next name.

There was some uproar when her name was announced, but she couldn't identify any negative comments. James's hollers were all that she heard and she bit back an embarrassed laugh. Albus was called a few minutes later and the entire Potter and Weasley family stood up and let out lots of noises. Rose and Scorpius would be walking at the end of the line, so they could get special honors and Rose could give her speech.

"Amanda Smith."

Atria observed James who stood up, along with Freddie and some other family members. Her family was there as well, beaming at their daughter. There was a look in James's eyes, something that Atria had never seen before, as he stared proudly at Amanda.

And finally Scorpius Malfoy and Rose Weasley were called and the entire hall erupted in shouting and hooting. Scorpius moved to the side with the rest of the graduated seventh years while Rose took her place at the podium, smiling at McGonagall. She looked beautiful in her black and red robes, the gold crest clashing strikingly with her flaming hair. The sun dancing on the red strands, shining from behind her through the window.

"Hello!" She said happily, her voice booming through the Great Hall. The clapping started to die down and she waited patiently for a moment before continuing, "This has been an exciting year and a perfect end to seven years. I feel this year sums up what Hogwarts has been to me and my fellow students." She took a deep breath and then grinned. "I've watched enough of these speeches to know what people usually say."

Rose looked at her friends. "The truth is I don't need to say any inspirational words to you. We accomplished what we set out to do when we first crossed through this hall and now it's time to move on to the next great adventure. Some of us will see each other often, some of us might cross paths, and for some this will be the last time we speak." She sighed and looked down. "It's sad to think that things will never be like this again, but I know that what comes next will be even better. So I would like to thank the professors for helping us through seven years of hard work and stress and I would like to thank my friends for giving me good moments throughout the years of stress."

Atria grinned at Rose's words.

"And I would like to thank all of the parents and family of our graduating class. We are who we are because of you… or in spite of you." Atria glanced at Rose and gave her a brief smile. "Let's start our next great adventure and enjoy the rest of our lives." Rose said loudly and clapped her hands together. Everyone in the Great Hall stood up and clapped as Rose joined the rest of her class.

Atria hugged Rose. After everything settled down, students went to join their families.

Ginny pushed her way through the crowd and shouted over the noise. "Let's go outside by the lake, shall we?" Albus nodded and grabbed Atria's hand, pulling her through the throngs of people.

"Amanda!" Atria called. "We're going out to the lake."

"Alright, let me find my family."

James stepped in front of Atria. "They're with the Weasley's."

Amanda's eyes went wide. Atria watched her closely, observing her interaction with James and the idea that their two families were mingling. "Oh Merlin… come on." Amanda pushed past James and stalked out of the Great Hall. Attie followed closely, pulling Albus after her.

"I wonder what your parents are telling James's grandparents," Atria teased. "Any embarrassing baby pictures…?" Amanda shot her a dirty look over her shoulder and continued at a panicked pace.

"Amanda…" James choked out. "You're hurting my hand."

"We have to hurry… my dad's a muggle and he'll say something horribly embarrassing!"

Atria hurried to keep up and Albus laughed, "Maybe he'll ask our dad for an autograph!"

Amanda ran faster.

Not only were Amanda's parents and the Weasley's there, but Scorpius's parents as well. Draco seemed to be explaining his job to Amanda's father, who looked thoroughly confused.

"Couldn't any wizard be a healer? It seems like all you have to do is wave your wand…"

"It's a little more complicated than that," Draco said warily.

Mrs. Smith lit up when she saw Amanda, "Oh dear, you looked so grown up walking through the Great Hall." They hugged and Grandma and Grandpa Weasley gave Rose a hug. Atria wrapped an arm around Albus's waste, feeling the need to get in on the hugging.

Ginny and Harry joined them a moment later. "It's a zoo in there." Harry said breathlessly. And this was that man who lived through the Battle of Hogwarts and Lord Voldemort.

"Mum, Dad," James announced loudly, "there's something I have to tell you." He grabbed Amanda's hand, she looked just as surprised as everyone else. Atria raised her eyebrows, giving James an amusing look, thinking it was about time those two started going together.

Amanda closed her eyes, "Bloody he—" she muttered.

"We're getting married!" James said boldly.

No one said anything. No one moved. Amanda looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there. Finally, Ginny spoke, "I didn't know you two were seeing each other." She sounded slightly faint.

James grinned, still gripping a mute Amanda's hand. "We're not. See, she didn't want to date because we're going to be working together. You know, in case of a break up. So I said, 'let's get engaged so that we can date.' Then when we don't want to date anymore, we'll just get married." He said happily.

Atria looked sideways at Albus who was looking at his brother like he had a Hungarian Horntail sitting on James's shoulder.

Mr. Smith blinked. "I'm confused," he said, barely moving his lips.

Amanda shook herself out of whatever stupor she had been in. "It's a bit more complicated—"

"Of course we love each other." James tried to assure the adults.

Atria ran her hands through her hair. "When did this happen?"

"Three weeks ago." James said proudly.

"I did not plan this," Amanda said defensively. "And when he says we're engaged… he just means we're together in a more permanent way than boyfriend-girlfriend. We're not getting married anytime soon."

"Like two years." James said thoughtfully.

Amanda scoffed. "At least three. And it has to be during the winter… some place with snow."

"If we were on a mountain… imagine the sunset and the photos." James agreed.

"Why the hell didn't you say anything?" Scorpius glared at Amanda.

Amanda sighed, "Because I told him to think on it. We hadn't even spoken since the last Hogsmeade weekend, when I told him to come back today, and then… this." She motioned to James and though she looked peeved, Atria saw something else on her face. There was adoration in her eyes, despite the hard set of her mouth and her folded arms. She looked reluctantly in love. She looked like Mrs. Weasley whenever her husband did something weird—like start a computer key collection.

Scorpius and Rose reminded Atria of Draco and Astoria. Polite and formal, but completely in love even if they didn't say two words to each other, it was obvious from the secret glances and longing looks.

And then there was Atria and Albus. Atria thought of them as Harry and Ginny—just minding their own business and along for the ride.

"You're getting married?" Mrs. Smith repeated, almost to herself.

"Mum, we're not getting married anytime soon." Amanda said.

"How do you know if you're compatible?" Harry asked. "If you haven't dated…"

James shrugged, "We're in love."

"How do you know?" Ginny challenged.

"Sometimes you just know. Why wait? Why deal with the dating bullshit and leave room for drama? I know what I want and I'm not going to wait for something to make me question it." James still looked thrilled, but his voice had a hard edge to it now.

"I thought Bill and Fleur were too young…" Grandma Weasley said hesitantly. "It didn't end so badly."

"They're still together." Ron pointed out, much to his mother's chagrin.

"Like I said… it ended alright." Grandma Weasley said tightly.

"I always thought Rose and Scor would be the first married." Albus said absently.

Ron Weasley made a disapproving face. "Let's not talk about that now."

Ginny huffed, "Honestly, you've been graduated for an hour and you're already speaking about marriage and whatnot?"

Atria held up her hands. "I'm not. I want to be settled before marriage and kids."

"Kids?" Albus swallowed.

"Not for at least seven years." Atria patted his arm. "I need to get things settled with the zoo before I start settling down with marriage."

"And Scorpius and I are only interns." Rose said. "I want to have a solid career before I get married." She looked carefully at Amanda. "You already have a set job."

"We're not getting married immediately!" Amanda repeated. "And I still have to do training at St. Mungo's before I start in the fall. There's time to think, separately, before anything serious happens."

James made a displeased face. "I forgot about your training."

"This is a good thing," Amanda reminded him. "So will everyone please calm down?"

Atria wondered when she and Albus would get married. Would they have children? She knew how fun it was to be an only child, but it was also lonely. She would have to figure out how many children they would have later. She hoped the first child was a boy and if they had more than they could have girls, but it seemed like a big task to start out trying to raise a girl. They seemed so much more complicated than boys. Of course, with the Weasley genes, she could end up with a boy like Freddie or James.

"Scor, you and I have to decide who gets which names," Atria said.

Everyone gave her a confused look.

"What are you on about?"

"Baby names. There are only so many stars left in the sky. What if we both want to use the same name for a child?"

Amanda coughed, "Way to keep things calm."

Scorpius glared at her, "That's not something we need to think about now." He folded his arms and Atria saw Draco let out a sigh of relief. "As long as I get the name Orion." Rose scrunched up her nose.

"Orion?"

"That's the best we can do with what's left over." Scorpius told her.

"We could start reusing names. I like Draco… or Andromeda for a girl," Atria smiled.

Draco blinked. "I'm still here."

"And he's my dad!" Scorpius said indignantly. "You can't have my dad's name."

"Well, I can't pull names from my family! Oohh, I like Sirius. He's the only family member who I'm not ashamed of, other than Andromeda."

James lifted a hand, "Hold on, I think I get dibs on Sirius. It's my middle name."

"Why are we talking about this now?" Albus muttered.

"Yes, why?" Ron snapped. "Merlin, you're all barely eighteen and already planning the rest of your lives. And Rosie, you're not allowed to have children until I'm dead."

"No," Hermione rolled her eyes. "I want grandchildren." She glanced at Rose and Scorpius. "But not for at least ten years."

Draco cleared his throat, "I second that."

Astoria smiled, "Take your own time, darlings."

"This has certainly been an event to remember," Harry sighed.

Atria grinned because she couldn't contain it anymore. This was perfect beyond her wildest dreams and nothing like what she had imagined perfection to be. Albus's arms around her, friends beside her, and all of her immediate family dead… it certainly wasn't the typical idea of perfection.


	48. Curtains

It was strange for Albus to come home to find Atria in the living room mulling over papers. After all, a desk job pushing papers was everything she wanted to avoid when approaching a career. But as it turned out, opening a zoo was much more difficult that Albus could've imagined. Nevertheless, Atria always seemed thrilled with herself at the end of the day.

She glanced up when he came in. "You're home!" She pushed the files aside and stood up to greet him.

Albus laughed. "We should make it official. Technically it's not _our_ home, it's yours and Rose's."

She rolled her eyes, her hair slowing shifting from a bluish grey to purple. "Please, Rose spends more time downstairs than you do," she said, referring to the flat Albus and Scorpius were supposed to be sharing. In truth, Albus spend most nights in the girls' flat and Rose spent a lot of time downstairs. "Maybe you should just move in," Atria suggested. It had been two months since they had all graduated and in the last few weeks Atria had begun to insist that it would be easier on everyone for him and Rose to switch places.

"I don't think Rose and Scorpius are quite there yet." Albus plopped down on the sofa, pulling Attie onto his lap. She brushed back pieces of his unruly hair as he spoke, "and I'm not sure I like the idea of my cousin sharing a bed with my best friend."

"Rose could say the same thing," Atria leaned in and trailed her nose along his jaw. His breath was quickly becoming shorter and more uneven. "Is it different because she's a girl?" She gave him a hard look but it was difficult to take seriously because of how soft she felt against him. She knew exactly what she was doing as well, sinking farther into his lap. "That doesn't seem right," she whispered against her jaw.

"Hm?" Albus was too distracted to focus on anything she was saying.

"Aren't you listening?" She chastised lightly.

Albus glared at her playfully. "Don't pretend to be so innocent." He gripped her waist, making sure she couldn't go go anywhere but closer to him. Her nose tickled and finally he gripped her face so she had to look at him. "You're trouble." He whispered before kissing her. It started out light and fun, but grew heated as her hands travelled up his chest.

"But you love me anyways," she smiled against his lips. She sounded confident, but he knew it bothered her sometimes. He was joking, but a lot of people accused her of causing trouble when she hadn't done anything.

He pulled away and looked at her seriously. "Of course I do. Just like you love me even though I'm an arse sometimes." She laughed softly and he felt it rumble through her entire body.

"Mm…" she mumbled incoherently. "What time is it?" She kept running her hands over his shoulders. He leaned back, pulling her with him.

"Nearly seven."

Atria groaned, resting her head against her shoulder. "Rose will be home soon."

"Maybe she'll go to Scorpius's place." He replied hopefully, following Atria's train of thought. "Then we'll have another couple of hours to ourselves."

"You know she always comes up here to drop things off."

Albus ran a hand up and down her back. "Worth the risk."

"I'm not sure she'll see it that way."

"She doesn't have to see anything. That's what bedrooms are for." He teased, knowing it was a losing argument. Attie didn't even bother responding to his crude suggestions, she just curled into him more. "How are things with the zoo?"

"Alright." Atria sighed. "I have the property all settled, but the trouble is getting muggle animals. Amazingly, the Ministry is more worried about kangaroos than dragons or hippogriffs." Albus barked out a laugh. "Honestly, do they think a kangaroo will be more difficult to handle than a dragon?"

"The last time you "handled" a dragon, you were poisoned."

Atria grinned. "Only a little."

"How many animals will there be?"

He felt her shrug. "Maybe one hundred or so to start. And most of them will be class XX, XXX, or XXXX."

"You know I have no idea what you're talking about." Albus remarked drily. He usually didn't bother to stop and ask what she was talking about especially when she got going about the specific animals. She seemed to forget that he stopped taking Care of Magical Creatures after third year. He would swear that sometimes she made up names of creatures just to mess with him.

"Oh you know, X being the least dangerous and XXXXX being the most dangerous. I think we shall start with a happy medium and leave the boring and most dangerous ones off to start."

"So… no dragons?" Albus could dispel the hopefulness from his voice.

"Not to start. But your Grandmother had been helping me with large expansion charms, like they have at the Burrow. And Aunt Hermione has been helping with extension charms so the creatures have plenty of space and we can add on later."

Albus let out a long breath. "This is a lot happening all at once."

"How was your day?"

"Not too bad. A lot of it is running plans from one bloke to another but I like it and I'm learning." Albus pulled her closer, overtaken by the realization that they were building their lives together. It was was so new and only in the early stages that he hardly noticed that they were making long terms plans about their careers and living status. It all felt so natural.

"Did you hear James and Amanda have set a date?"

Attie laughed. "Your mum is in a right state."

"January," Albus shook his head in disbelief. "What happened to waiting a couple of years?"

"That flew out the window very quickly." She giggled as Albus ran his hands through her soft purple hair. "I think when they realized the ridiculousness of travelling together, living in the same building, but being apart they thought 'why not'."

"So with a date set the team manager will let them stay in the same room?"

Atria shrugged. "I suppose so. And if not, then they only have to wait a few months."

"I don't think they've waited for much." Albus mumbled suggestively. The longer they sat like that the more relaxed he became. He sank into his tiredness, nearly falling asleep.

"It's barely 7:30," Atria murmured.

"Being an adult is tiring." Albus laughed softly.

Atria pulled back. "You know you don't have to work." She ran a finger over his jaw.

"I want to," Albus reminded her.

Atria leaned back in. "Then quit complaining." She teased. "And when we do move in together, it's not going to be in a small flat. We're going to have a proper house."

"You mean a manor." Al raised his eyebrows.

"Not quite as large as the Malfoys, but I miss having a large house."

"Me too." Albus admitted. "But don't tell my mum that."

Atria sighed. "Do we have any food here?"

"Have you gone shopping?"

Atria snorted. "No."

"Then we don't."

"Damn."

"We have marshmallows," Albus mused. "We could light a fire and roast them."

She chuckled and tucked her head under his chin. "How did we become so domesticated?"

"We're not." Albus argued. "Normal people don't roast marshmallows for dinner or spend their days trying to figure out how to cage the most dangerous creatures on this earth."

"I'm not trying to cage them!" Atria protested.

"Do you ever think about getting married?"

Atria pulled back, shocked by his question. She stared at him with an open mouth. Was he trying to propose? "Where did that come from?"

"Just thinking about James. I never thought he would get married."

Atria bit her lip. "I never thought I would get married. Even after we fell in love, I never thought a happy ending was in my future. But I'm glad that it is."

"So you want to get married?"

Atria ran a few fingers through his black bangs. "Eventually."

"We could marry tomorrow if you liked." His voice wavered and he looked down.

Atria smiled. "We're not ready for that. Or at least, I'm not. I love you so much… but I don't think we're done growing together and somehow marriage seems like approaching the end game. We're nowhere near the end. I want to enjoy our relationship and dating. I want to enjoy being young and free."

Albus frowned. "And marriage is a chain?"

"Not really. But it's settling down."

"And that's bad." He sounded defeated. Albus was pulling away from her and it was important that she make him understand.

"Not bad. But not something I'm ready for. Albus, please understand. I will marry you. We're going to be married and live in a big house, but no picket fences, they're stupid. Maybe we'll have kids. We'll be incredibly happy and be together forever." Her voice was pleading and cracked.

"But you don't want to start forever now."

He was trying understand, but he was confused.

"I'm not ready for forever. Not after everything that's happened this past year. I'm not Amanda. I can't just jump off a cliff and believe love will be there to catch me. I want to build a love that lasts and that won't happen if I jump without thinking."

Albus let out a long sigh, but it sounded light which made Atria breath easier. "I know. I know that. I'm not ready for marriage either…"

"You just wanted to fight?"

"No, I just wanted to see where you stood. A part of me hoped you'd say you would marry me tomorrow if I asked."

"Ask me in three years when our lives aren't so crazy. I'll say yes in a heartbeat."

Albus barked out a laugh, "You really think our lives will be less crazy in three years?"

"No. But maybe I'll handle the crazy better."

"Cheers to that."

Atria laughed and glanced towards the kitchen. "We need drinks."

"Firewhiskey?"

She scrunched up her nose. "I think wine would be nice." Atria leaned in to kiss him. His mouth opened immediately and his hands cupped the back of neck, tangling in her soft, purple hair.

"Oh!"

Atria and Al broke apart as the front door banged open and Rose and Scorpius tumbled in laughing. Albus flounced back into couch and groaned as Attie clutched her chest.

Scorpius did a double take when he noticed the pair sitting together. "Oh," he swallowed, "you're both here."

Albus raised his eyebrows lazily. "Of course."

Rose blushed and detangled herself from Scorpius. "Have you eaten? We were going to go out for supper."

"Really?" Atria laughed. "It seemed like you were going to get really comfy inside."

Rose's cheeks turned even redder and Scorpius glared at Attie. "We were thinking of ordering in. So have you eaten?" He bit out.

"Nope, what were you gonna order?" Atria asked happily.

Rose dropped her bags and kicked off her shoes as she replied. "Chinese, but if you had a different idea…"

"We were gonna roast marshmallows!" Atria jumped up and tried not to trip over the coffee table as she bounded towards the kitchen. There was no reason marshmallows couldn't be an appetizer for Chinese.

Scorpius, ever the snob, made a disgusted face. "That's disgusting."

Atria rolled her eyes. "Maybe you would like caviar instead…" she sniped.

"I'll order the Chinese," Rose said quickly as she fiddled with her cell phone.

"We really need a bigger apartment," Atria mused randomly as she reached into the cabinet to grab the half-empty bag of marshmallows. She glared at the bag for a moment, wondering who ate the marshmallows. She stopped at the counter to unclip the bag and watched Rose step over Albus's legs as she rambled on the phone, ordering a number of entrees. Rose huffed when Al tried to trip her up. Scorpius was hanging up his and Rose's jacket, tapping at his phone screen becoming slightly frustrated with the muggle device.

Atria popped a sugar pillow in her mouth and grinned, marveling in the scene before her.

Every day, there was always a moment where things seemed too good. She just had to stop and take it in every once in awhile. All of the crap of the past seemed to big to just disappear as easily as it had. Sure, there had been that little whelp from the Ministry who had wanted to dredge everything up, not just for Attie, but for the Potters as well.

"What are you grinning about?" Albus had wandered over to her, stealing a marshmallow. Atria batted his hand away.

"I was just…" Atria sighed.

"Taking a moment?" Albus slipped his arms around her from behind.

"Yeah," she let out a long breath.

"You've been doing that a lot recently." He pressed his nose into her hair.

"I go through every day worried that someone's going to come and get me…" Atria shook her head, "it lessens with each passing day, but that fear is still there. When I make it through one day I'm so relieved, but I worry about tomorrow and the day after that."

"We sorted this out months ago. You're in the clear." He turned her around and smiled. The look in his eyes was almost as though he was trying to will her to relax and be happy.

"I guess I'm still adjusting. I've never been in the clear before." It was a strange feeling.

"Well, you are now." He said slowly and forcefully.

A disgruntled groan came from the living room. Scorpius was giving them a reproachful look. "You two aren't going to start shagging in the kitchen, are you?" Albus rolled his eyes and stepped away.

"No," he drawled. "Just chatting."

"I've ordered the food!" Rose jumped up.

"Thank Merlin, I'm starving." Atria mumbled around a mouthful of marshmallows.

Rose laughed and looked between her and Albus. "I love you lot."

Everyone looked at each other for a few moments.

When Atria couldn't stand the emotional tension, she said, "We're not going to have a group hug, are we?" Albus looked down on her and then lunged, his arms coming around her, pulling her in tight before she could protest. "Hey!"

"Group hug!" Albus shouted. Atria felt Rose and Scorpius come into the hug.

"This is silly," Atria choked out, as her friends smushed her.

"No, this is good." Rose sniffed.

"Are you crying?" Albus scoffed.

"We're having a moment!" Rose snapped.

Atria laughed, "There's always some type of moment."

"We have very emotional lives." Rose explained. "Crazy lives, really. I wish Amanda was here."

Atria barked out a laugh, "Please, she has the best deal out of all of us. A job with a Quidditch team, a flat with her boyfriend, and she gets travel around the world."

"True."

"So… can we stop hugging now?"

Scorpius pulled back. Rose gave her one last squeeze before letting go.

"This is going to be a good year." Rose said firmly.

"It's June," Atria said drily.

"Then we're halfway there!" Rose punched her fist into the air. "Everything is going well and our lives are going to be great…"

"You're getting ahead of things."

"No, I'm not!" Rose insisted. "I know things are tense sometimes, but we just have to remember that we all love each other."

"Why is this turning into a lecture?" Albus groaned.

"It's not!"

"Let's get some plates," Atria suggested, leaving the little group meeting.

"But I wasn't finished," Rose pouted as Scorpius guided her back to the living room.

"Just let it go," Albus said comically. "Can't we just say that things are going well and be done with it."

"Alright."

Atria carried four plates over to the coffee table. "Things are going well." She confirmed and then went back for forks, because who really knows how to use chopsticks? She glanced back at the others would were plopping into their usual spots.

She had been humoring Rose and Albus when she agreed that things were going well, but that was the truth. And for the first time in her life, she wasn't dreading what happened next.

The End

**A/N: Sorry that this chapter took so long to update. But the novel is finished and it was hard to write the ending because that means it's over! **

**I would like to thank Cap92A, AstoriaRedfern, and Diana Black 12 would your amazing support and continued reviews! **

**I encourage everyone to check out my my short story ****_The Hogwarts Express_****, because in my opinion, it's the best story I've written and I'm super proud of it :) **

**Thank you to everyone who read this story! Happy reading and writing! - Alex**


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